Accidents, Inquests, &c.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5604, 28 April 1886, Page 4

Accidents, Inquests, &c.

♦ A rather serious bicycle accident occurred on Good Friday, to Mr Alfred Thompson, son of Mr Walter Thompson, of Saltwater Creek, Kaiapoi. He was riding up the hill, when hia foot slipped oft the pedal of tho machine, and he waa thrown off with much force, falling on his right shoulder and breaking Mb arm midway between the shoulder and elbow. He waa brought down to Kaiapoi, where Dr Ovenden attended him, but was unable, owing to excessive inflammation, to set the bone at once. INQUEST AT LITTLE EIVEE. An inquest was held at Mr A. M'Nae's, Lake Forßyth Hotel, Little River, on Monday evening, April 26, on the body of Frederick Nathaniel Foater, schoolmaster, Courtenay, before Mr A. D. Allan and a j jury of tii, of whom Mr A. M'Nae was chosen Foreman. ! Thomas Hamilton Anson, sworn, said : I am a farmer, residing at Courtenay, and hare known the deceased for fourteen yeara. I left Courtenay with deceased and my Cousin, J. 0. Anson, on Friday, April 23rd. We were on a snooting expedition to Lake Ellesmere. We came as far as Birdling"s Flat, and pitched our tent. About 4 o'clock on April 25 deceased, myself and cousin went down to the margin of the lake, to await the evening flight of the ducks. The deceased and myself laid down together. My cousin went about 200 yards further away. The sun was iust setting, when deceased turned round to me and said he felt very queer; he had never felt so queer before. I said, " You are faint ; you will be all right in a minute or so." He appeared to rally for a second, then laj down. I immediately got some water and bathed his face, and undid his Bhirt. Then I cooed to my cousin, who at once came over. I then raised deceased in my arms, and my cousin sprinkled his face with water. Deceased gave one or two gasps, when we saw he was dead. Wo then fetched the horses and put them in the buggy, and took the body to the Lake Forsyth Hotel, Little River. Arrived there about half-past Bor 9 o'clock p.m. Never knew the deceased to complain of ill-health. Always reckoned him to be a most hearty and robust man. James O'Kearer Anson, sworn, fully corroborated the evidence of tho previous witness in every particular of the case. He always thought the deceased to be a healthy nan. Alfred Ernest Woodforde, sworn, Baid : I am a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Akaroa. I have just held a post mortem on the body of the deceased. I found that the heart was very extensively diseased. In my opinion, the deceased died from failure of the heait, the result of heart disease. There were no external marks of violence on the body whatever. The following verdict was returned— That deceased came by his death from natural causes, to wit, disease of the heart."

[Pas Pbbss Association.] AUCKLAND, Apeil 27. The body cf a man named John O'Brien has been found in the harbour. A yacht with two fishermen — Frank Kelly and David Lynch— is missing. WELLINGTON, Iran 27. A man named Marriott, a tailor, was found dead this afternoon in a cloaet. The cause of death is unknown.