INQUEST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1868, 15 June 1888, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was he'd afc Methven on Thursday, on the body of Thomas Powell, who accidentally shot himself on the previous day. The inquest was held before Mr E Chipman, J P,, and a jury of whom Mr Patton was chosen foreman — Wm. Middleton deposed that deceased accompanied him to Mr Chapman's pro- ■ perty, some four miles from Methven, for the purpose of fetching a load of gorse aticki. On arriving at the paddock, while witness was taking down the wires across a gateway, deceased went to place the gun m the gorse fence on the opposite side of the road. After they had got the load on deceased went to open the wires, and then went on to fetch hia gun. Witness walked backwards while leading the horße through the gateway, and while doing this heard a thot. On looking, round found deceased; lying by the fence quite dead, the charge Laving entered the throat and passed round to th& back of the head. From the position of the gun it must have been placed with both hammers on the oajß, butt foremost m the fenoe, and as deceased drew it on.', the hammers, lifted by a piece of wire or gorse, discharged the gun. Only ore barrel was discharged. Finding the man was dead, he went for assistance, and having despatched a mess f ngerto Me'.hvou, returned to the spot, — Mr Scrimgeour, *yho went tip from Methven to help to bring the body, gave corroborative evidence as to the poeition of the body and the gun.-*»A verdict was returned that deceased accidentally shot himself, and that no blame waa attached to anyone.