INCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXII, Issue 847, 4 December 1905, Page 5

INCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Per Press Association.. A.batinng nusbap occurred this mnniwj* i T l ;,,.'-" e * IJa ?-. , W h%, tWAyoung.mennajiied I-.Jhs and Lake were bathing in the .surf one of them lost his footing and was drawn into deep water.; His companion went to his a;»d, but they were unaWe-.t**"'x%aVh the shore and both were drowned.-' I-~ On Saturday afternoon a steam pipe tie the Electrical Syndicate's works exploded, with a report that could be heard a, mile Hw;;y; There were three firemen on duty' -at , the and one was ..rather badly .seulded ■ about the face.': The violent <>f the explosion caused great excitement in the city for a time, and thousands of people rushed to the scene.. J. Holmes, a-clerk in the Treasury'Depnvrment, committed suicide this morning by hanging, himself.- Deceased had been in ill-health. An inquest-is being held this afternoon.

INQUEST AT ALBURY. The inquest on the body of Robert FrVnch was held at the Ruilwav Hotel, Al- i bmy,' <m Friday .night, before Mr C. A. j Wtay, coroner. The jury were Messrs i Blpiham- (forejnain, D. Couper, S. -Aji-' flrews, McAteer. F. Smith, and Hancock^ Two Mitnesses, Victor Ross and Lachlun i Mucdonald, gave evidence, that, thev were awakened during the night by the deceased ; knocking on the wall. They and also two other men sleeping in the hut Trent in and found French in great pain. Brandy was got. from the house for him, and lie seemed easier after taking- it. He said he would rather be dead than suffer snclv pam as he did. In the morning when they went into French's room tbey found that he bad cut, his throat. Mr Jones, the owner of Mount Nesslng, was called', ' butnothing could be done for deceased. • . •. Edgar Jones' gave' evidence that deceased had been with him at "Mount itfessing for about five yearsjis gardened He had been an excellent* servant, quiet, well behaved, and obliging. He was very deaf, and in consequence, perhaps, reserved, and inclined to- keep to himself, but. he was not at all a quarrelsome man. He never drank while on the slaiion-ami had- no means-of getting drink. If anything, on the Wednesday, French had seemed in better spirits ' than usual. When called-in- the moining he (Mr .Tones) had gone- at once t<> the hut.' and found that nothing could be done. He sent away at once for the doctor and police, j He found the pocket knife (produced) lying on the lable beside deceased's bed. and! removed it and several other pruning knives i which were there. j l)r Sydney John Cook, gave evidence j describing the wound, evidently seif-in-rtieted, and nf such ;> nature as to cause! death.

-After consideration the jury brought ::, a verdict "That, the deceived IJohert.' Fr*nd» died from a wound nn the throat >elfin--I'iited while out of his mind thi-mgh pain." The body was taken to Fair'.ic on Frid.iv night- ami buried i<i the Fa j rise- crmiterv on Saturday morning. The ttev. I)r \V. G. Black officiated at the grave-. s.rA there was a snuul gathering of fricr.ds of the deceased at the service.