CASUALTIES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 29, 15 November 1873, Page 8

CASUALTIES.

At an inquest held at Napier, on the body of John McLau«»hlen, the jury returned a verdict « That deceased died from the "effects of chloroform administered prior to the performance of an operation for removal of cancer." Dp G-ibbs, who administered the chloroform, is entirely exonerated from all responsibility. An express belorging to Mr Lennon, of Oamaru, with its load, consisting of some valuable mouldings and a staircase for Mr Meatove's new house at Windsor Park, was destroyed by fire en route, the load having caught fire in some mysterious way, probably through a spark from a pipe falling among the shavings used as padding io the packages. The estimated loss is £150. A man named Peter Stewart, who had been working in the Kakunui district, was brought into the Oamaru hospital on Tuesday week, suffering from congestion of the brain, caused by sunstroke. A contractor named Samuel Clelland, engaged on the railway works, Maheno, Oamaru, wwoa o buried by a fall of earth on the 6th inst, from the effects of which lie died. An inquest was held on the following day before Mr T. W. Parker, R.M., Coroner, when a verdict of " Accidental Death " was returned. Deceased was a native of Ireland and unmarried. He is supposed to have died intestate. A lad named Nicholson, aged twelve years, has been received into the Hospital, and there had three of the fiugers of his left hand amputated. He is employed ia Messrs Sargood, Son, & Ewen's boot mauutactory, Dunedin, and managed by some means to get his hand drawn into the machinery. It is with regret that we record the death of Ut Schmidt, who was severely burned in the late fire in George street. On the day of his death he appeared to be in good spirits, had a hearty appetite, and chatted freely with his friends, whom he assured he was quickly recovering. Shortly before five he went into convulsions, and becamo so frantic that the warders had great difficulty in keeping him from tearing his face. From thess convulsions he never rallied, and at sit o clock he expired. Thus, the &eorge street fire, quite unexpectedly, has unhappily had a fatal issue. The mau John Briggs, who was assaulted by an abandoned character in Stafford street about v month ago, has diod in the Hospital. The woman has been committed for trial on a charge of manslaughter. For a man to fall from a window for a distance of 40 feet on to a roadway paved with stone blocks, without being killed on the spot, appears almost miraculous, yet such an occurrence took place in Dunedin a few days ago. A barman named Godfrey Kemp, employed »\,

™ ?«??!£? f f treefcl While eri^ ed in cleaning a window Shelnir ?T^' thott S htlessl y relaxed Vs hold while standing on the sill outside, ond was precipitated into the right-of-way, lie fell on elbow an T" ing a C ,° m ? ou^ '«*«« of the" right arm below the elbow and a severe shock. He has since died. IfJ.Sk 8 °i n? J ° hn P * cid> Whu wnl ' formerly in the employ of Messrs Gibbs and Clayton, Dunedin, will learn with regret of his death from an accident of a fearful character at San Francisco. Lie became entangled in a 'bale rope' then being manufacture^, was dragged along the ground at immense velocity three or four hundred leefc, and then was dashed agaiust a post, and only liberated by the rope breaking. Keid was rendered insensible. Several of his" ribs were broken and lie wns intern illy injured. Death resulted. Since coining to Cal.for.ua he had been in delicate health, aud he was employed by the manager of the wotks to «ome extent on charitable considerations. As soon as he had saved a little money, it was his intention to return to Now Zealand, where he has left a widow and family to lament his fate.