ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2003, 10 March 1914, Page 6

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

DEATH BY POISON

INDIRECT KESOLT OF STRIKE. Yesterday Merning Mr. 1). G. A. Cooper, S.jrf., held ,ifl inquest concern" ing tho death of Alfred. Jesse Stevens, a ecainan from tins steamer 'Wairmia. who died at Ho.. 124 Austin Street on Friday Bight last. A letter, left by deceased for a friend, contained the following:—"i)oar J acts, —I am getting out, iou Jaiow what that means:* , 1 feel both mentally and physically unabki to cojw with it new scheme of lifo at 54. After all my previous worries and griefs, this strike affair has finished me. , . . Qood-b-ye, old man; you have been a good friend. Yours as over—Alfred J. Stevens."

Br. luugtofi Fyffe gavo ovidenco to tho effect that <i post-mortem examination had disclosed tho fact that the deceased had taken poison.

John \V. Bailey-stated that tho deceased, who had been out- of work for somo considerable tiroo, boarded with him. Ho had been out of work during the strike, and,, on oae occasion, he had spoken of suicioo. When witness fatmel deceased doad iii bed, there was a let-ter-card addressed to himself in deceased's handwriting, Stevens had previously mentioned that -he suffered from sleeplessness.

Evidence of a formal nature was given by two other witnesses. A verdict was returned to tlxe effect iliat- the deceased had died from taking poison whilst of imsovuid. mind, inqubstjlthospital. Mr, D. G. a 7 Cooper, S.M., hold .aa inquest at tlw 'Woihngtoa hosptal yesterday afteriMoti, touoirinK the death of Alexander JJarge> who diod on Saturday nranuiig as the result of injuries received through a foil.from a ladder. Deceased, who. was 'a- buiMe-fs , labourer, was about 45 years of age, and a widower. At the inquest yesterday Mr. D. Jackson appeared for luo-ssrs. d. and A. Wilson, contractors for the Automatic Bakeries building. Mr. E-. A. Boltand represented toe Labour Depart-' ment, while Senior Sergeant Pew, ,of Jlount Cook, reprcsontwd the police. Tho evidence indicated that deceased was climbing a kicider at the Automatic Bakeries' new building in l 4 aranaki Street, at about. 10 a..m on Moiiclay. Fobnmr;y '}, when he was seen to fall backwards to tho ffround. The ladder was securely .feed in position, and .no reason coultl be givwi for the mishap hy those who sTiw "tins fall. Medical aid was suaifiioned aud, as deceased iv&s apparently badly injured, ho was removed to the Hospital. On the way to tho institution, he inforined a companion that ho lacwl betsn I-iurrying np the ladder with a- hanimcr when he- lost his hold and fell. He.thought that he ha.fl fallen on a pipe. At the- Hospital tfea symptoms pointed to'fmcture of tho spine. Complications set in and ho gradually grow weaker. On March 6 Iμ became unconscious and death took place on tho following morning.

A verdict- of accidental death was 'returned, the Ooro-ner expressing the -opinion thai no bhaio was attachable to anyone. . ■ •

ACCIDENT ON &S. Slffi.ttEY. A young man fell down tho hold of tha steamer Surrey yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock, and sustained -coacussioii of tho brain and injuries to -his back. TtHtpAT. WOGNpA young man named Victor Grati•Jiauiwj, aged 23 'yeafti, and a jeWell-or !;.>• occupation, was admitted, to the Hospital yos-today afteriiwh with a wound in Ms throat. The ease is Hot so far regarded as a very sorious om. A XAffiROW ESCAPE. liEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT, i (By (TeleStoajTi.—P/pss AsEofris.t:in,s : Thames,, Marth 9. A lott'ol .crossing accident occurred at Kopu this morning qn the arrival of the 9,40 a>m. train, from Thames. A cream cart owned by. 31'Liwigli.Ita, ft Jfetoke fanner, and occupied bv him and his young son, was proceeding to the fastorvj and When e-ressifig tho fine ft* tra-i-n Canto nto-ng, M'Lelighfttt seized his son atiti jumped, while Ijib -ejigtofi -ctaslied into the cart, which was smashed, to splinters and carried several yards. The torso was uninjured, bnfe the Soy is ill tho lioßpitol stiff-firing froni outa and Ibruisee and a compound fracture of the leR. The father «it-u.ni.pd 'home, beins only slightly, bruised. The escape from death wa-s "due to the iatter's prompt action ; n jmiip.ng. THE TE ABAaOA FATAtITY, NO EVIDENCE OF POUL H;..\Y. Gisbdrn?* Mareli 9. The iuqwost en*Bobi*t Taylor, foxind dfiivd in liis shop at 'fe- Araron, «m----cluded to*day. A VehJitft of fount] dead wsm vetu-rnei!', fhfejje beiiig no evJttow to show Irow i-he'iractare of tlo sk«Il was caused. iHspwtoi , O'&ouov-an stirted there was 3io evidence to befl-r out tl-:e SJegestien of foul ph.* , . Apparently, 3cceaied s'top-psd β-n some teso steiics in tho vskranvay, striking his head gainst iho CD-unter. SAILOE FRACTURES A. LEG. Wangartul, March 9.. Frederick Hardwood, ft sailor on the ba.rqueiifciiio 'VViHiganwi, Was knockod off tile wiiftif by a sli.ng' to-dny, and. fell a clistaMe of fourteen feet te tho deck. Me- sustained a compound ffaeturo of the- left leg, .' •