A MINERS SUICIDE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 95, 17 December 1912, Page 7

A MINERS SUICIDE.

(Per Press Association.! Dunedin, December 16. John Henry Stuart, a miner, was found dead by bis daughter at bis residence at Kyeburn diggings, with a bullet wound in bis forehead and a rifle alongside. It is supposed to be a case of suicide. Deceased leaves a family of eight, the youngest of whom is thirteen years old.

THE PEA-RIFLE AGAIN. Invercargill, December 16. A teacher named Harpld Isaac Selby, aged 35, was brought in from Otautau district to-day, suffering from a wound in the head, inflicted by a pea-rifle. It is not known yet whether the occurrence was accidental, but the wound may bo serious.

Air. Jack Law, proprietor cf the Bridge Hotel, Gisborne, received serious injury to one of his eyes on Friday morning as the result of a misadventure. He was using a hose, and for a joke was about to turn it on another man, when a third knocked his elbow in an endeavour to prevent him. The nozzle of the hose flew back, the point striking Mr. Law in the eye. The eyeball was removed from the socket and medical aid was summoned to replace it in position. It is possible that Mr. Law may lose the sight of the injured eye, although there are hopes held out for its recovery.

yi r. Sulzberger, a. well-known farmer of Mangatoki, when returning from work on Saturday evening, met with a serious accident. Ho had mounted a draught horse, when the animal suddenly reared, and fearing that the animal would fall back on him, Sulzberger jumped off, but. unfortunately fell, and the animal turning round when coming down, stepped on the man’s leg, smashing both the bones, says the ‘Argus.’

A girl, ten years of age, the daughter of Mr. John F. Pearce, a railway guard, residing at Caversham, died at her parents’ residence on Thursday night under circumstances that are calculated to excite the keenest sympathy (reports the ‘Otago Daily Times’). It appears that the family all partook of rabbit at the mid-day meal on Tuesday, while Air, Pearce also had some on his arrival home at. 9 p.m. When Mr. Pearce returned

home about 8.30 p.m. on the following evening he found his youngest child ill in bed, and almost immediately

after Mrs. Pearce and the three other children also took ill. [ Towards the morning they became worse, and it was deemed advisable to send for a

doctor. Accordingly Dr. Macpherson was called in about 10 a.m., and lie prescribed for them. About half-past

7 at night, however, Ivy Pearce became decidedly worse, and Dr. Macpherson was again summoned. Ho called in Dr. Allen, and a consultation was held, but apparently nothing could be done to assist the patient, who gradually sank and died at 9 p.m. The other children were also very ill for some time, but are now out of danger. At the inquest evidence was given as to the food eaten on both days, but Dr. Macpherson stated that ptomaine poisoning could result only from the eating of afiiraal food. Dr. Macpherson also said he considered it probable that the rabbits were slightly decomposed at the time of eating, as they were brought down on a warm, muggy day. A verdict, was returned to the effect that death was caused by ptomaine poisoning, the result of partaking of rabbits which were partly decomposed.