Tragedy on the West Coast

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3874, 16 May 1906, Page 2

Tragedy on the West Coast

YOUNG GIRL SHOT. Westport,. May 15. On Saturday a girl about 13 years of age, daughter of Mr Herring, of Totara, midway between Gape Foul* wind and Oharlston, was shot dead at her father’s residence. The father proceeded to work in the morning, leaving the children at home. On his return in (the after* noon at 4 o’clock he found the girl lying dead in the passage, her face being badly marred by ; ia bullet. Two lads younger than deceased were missing, and a search indicated that they had gone in the direction of (he river or possibly into the bush. They had not returned yesterday. It is surmised that the lads had been playing with the gun, and that it bad accidentally gone off and shot their sister, and that, being frightened with what bad occurred, they had disappeared into the bush. Later. Edwin and Cecil Herring, aged 15 and 9 years, brothers of Lily Herring who was killed by a gunshot on Saturday, were foupd last night. They state they were not in the house when the gun went off. They were in the garden and heard a shot. They went inside and found their sister lying dead. - They became frightened and ran into the bush. It would now appear that the girl was engaged in household duties, and accidentally knocked the gun down and it .exploded, killing her.