ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

Waikato Independent, Volume XXX, Issue 2423, 4 December 1930, Page 4

ACCIDENTALLY SHOT

PEA RIFLE DISCHARGED. WOMEN SHOT IN TEMPLE. : ;if A pea rifle accident, by which a woman named Mrs Frederick Mills, was shot in the temple, occurred at a house in Vialou Street, Hamilton, on Tuesday afternoon last. It seems that Mrs Frederick Mills, who was staying with her sister,.Mrs Clough, was at work in the pantry when the accident occurred. Three young men boarders at the house, named Stanley James Craikby, Leonard Williams and Allan Robinson, were in the kitchen when Craikby picked up a pea-rifle which had been left against the wall. With a view to examining it to see if it was loaded, ho endeavoured to open the breach, when the weapon suddenly discharged ami the bullet, passing through the pantry, wall, struck Mrs Mills in the temple. Dr F. D. Pinfold was called in and found that the bullet had penetrated to the skull, but its harmful effects had been impeded by the woman's hair, which was driven in and acted as a. cushion. The wound, while regarded as seri-. ous, is not critical. It appears that, Mr Wm. Clough took rip the pea rifle to Tc Awamutu on Sunday last, in expectation of shooting rabbits. On his return he opened the breech, and thought he had shaken out all the cartridges. His married son used the car, and finding the rifle inside, placed it, in the dining-room, where the curiosity of, the three boarders resulted in. the; accident. . : (,4" -