MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT LOSS OF TWO LIVES

West Coast Times, Issue 239, 28 June 1866, Page 3

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT LOSS OF TWO LIVES

- The severe stOfm, flays the Grey River Argus, which visited this district on Thurs* day evening last, has resulted in the loos of two lives, the victims being Patrick Lawlor and Patrick Hanrahan, two miners' Itoj-king ,in Maori Gully. It appears that heir tent was pjtohed. close to a large tree, the roots of which had t/een cut away on one side, as it overhung a facing where the deceased men had been working. They had just turned into their tent for the night, when the tree fell across the tent on the two njen. They both lived for some timo after they were taken out, but Lawlor never spoke again, as his chest was crushed in. Hanrahan lived up to three tfclofik on Saturday afternoon, and died in t_e . boat . . as, he . was being brought dow"n to Greymouth for medical treat* ment. The bodies were brought down the river on Saturday, and carried into Sweeney's Hotel, where an inquest was held yesterday, by W. H. Revell.Esq., R.M. and a verdict of "accidental death " was returned. * From the evidence of Cornelius Tuohy, a mate of the deceased men, it seems that when assistance arrived to extricate the men, Lawlor was found lying doubled up under the tree. His foot was broken, chest crushed in, head badly cut arid right ' eye closed up, and he lived ♦ for some hours; but without speaking. Hanrahan's left thigh bone and the bones o$ the leg below the knee were broken. He died from gangrene which set in 24 hours after he had received the injuries.*