ACCIDENTS AT NASEBY AND HAMILTON.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 6, 15 December 1869, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AT NASEBY AND HAMILTON.

[From the Mount Ida Chronicle.] Wo regret to abate that I>io lric Reiner, the unfortunate man who met with so lamentable an accident and sustained such severe injuries from an oarthfrdl on the 3l)th nit., expired on Monday evening last. An inquest was held on Tuesday, before H. W. Robinson, Esq., Coroner, when a verdict of “ accidental death ” was recorded. Again does it become our painful duty to re. cord another serious accident from earth fall. It (appears that the unfortunate sufferer in the present case is Owen Calvin, who, at the time of ithe accident (10.30 a.m. on Monday last), was Undermining a fall on Green's claim, Enterprise Gully, when the ground suddenly gave way, completely burying the upper part of his body. d)r M ‘Cambridge was speedily on tlm spot, and pronounced the collar-bone to be broken and »ime internal injuries received. /lie was rc-

movo.l to the Melbourne Hotel, where the collarhone whs sot and other surgical aid rendered. Hr M‘Cambridge now remits his patient ns progressing favourably.—fruroly those frequent aeuhluuts, combined with tlio well-known friable nature of the ground in the district, will hare the effect of making people mote careful how, hy neglect or foolhardiness, they bring upon themselves a miserable fate. Though for the lasi week er more our columns, have unfortunately teemed with accounts of accidents and loss of life, it yet becomes our painful duty to add another to that already too long list. An accident has occurred on the dam of Messrs Uremner Bros., at Hamilton, by which a man named Somers has been drowned, and Mr John Fenwick, an old, faithful, and muehesteoined assistant of Messrs Uremner Bros., has narrowly escaped a watery grave. An inquest was held on the body of the unfortunate man, Joseph Somers, on Wednesday last, before FI. W. Robinson, Esq,,'Coroner. The principal witness examined was Mr John Fenwick (a brother of Messrs G. and W, Fenwick, of the Cromwell Ano Us), who, being sworn, stated lam a clerk in the einploy of Messrs Breinnor Bros., and reside at Hamilton. I knew the deceased Joseph Somers. Yesterday morning, about four o’clock (as nearly as I can remember) 1 saw him in Bremner’s store, He then went away, saying he should go home, as ho had to be at work at six o’clock. He was a miner. After he was gono 1 went to bed. Not being able to sleep I ruse and dressed myself, with the intention of taking a short walk. I went up the Hill towards the dam. I luard somebody coo-ee. I noticed that the boat was on thu further side, and somebody was in it. He pulled the boat to a small point, where he took a dog on board. The man seemed to see me, and pullc-d towards me. 1 recognised him then as Joseph •Somers. When he got to shore, I said—“ Hulloa, Joseph, what are you doing here ? I thought you were going home.” He replied—“Oh no; 1 had to go to work at six o’clock, and was frightened 1 might sleep in." He then asked me to get in and have a sail. He sat in the stern of the boat 1 got in, and sat on the bar in the middle of the boat. We then put the dog out, and he swam ashore. Somers then paddled the boat towards the back part of the dam, and from there started to go right across the dam. He alone was paddling. When about one third of the way across hs stood up and stepped or staggered to the side of the boat where 1 was sitting. The beat then capsized. I was thrown underneath the boat. When I got from beneath it I saw Somers striking out for the shore. 1 made several attempts to right the boat, but she always turned over again. Once I had actually righted her and had nearly got in, but she turned over again whilo I was struggling in the water. 1 heard a shout, and turning round, I saw Somers sink. 1 thou got on to the boat, which floated bottom upwards, and paddled myself to shore with my hands. I think I must have been an hour on the boat. \\ lieu I gut ashore I went to giro information to the police. The deceased was clad in coat, trousers, and lace-up boots. Ha was the worse for liquor, but he managed the boat very well as long as he remained seated. I cannot call to mind that the deceased uttered any words after the boat capsized. The boat is a square flat-bottomed punt, about ten feet long and thirty inches wide. It was leaking a little, btt there was very little water in thu boat. Other witnesses were examined, but there was nothing in thu evidence which threw any additional light upon the accoident. \ erdiot—Accidental death from drowning.