PLAYING INDIANS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2284, 19 October 1914, Page 7

PLAYING INDIANS

DETAILS OF A SAD SHOOTING FATALITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, October 17. An inquest on the body of the boy John O'Shea, who was killed by a companion, Cyril Clifton, was held to-day. Roy O'Shea, brother of the deceased, stated that .lie was aware there was a revolver in Clifton's house. Witness was using it on Sunday last on. the beach, tiring ball cartridges into the sand, and Cyril Clifton i deposed that lie slept with the revolver under his pillow. It was empty until Tuesday night, when he thought he heard footsteps on- the verandah. Witness placed ball cartridges in the revolver, and ho had since carried the weapon frequently. On Friday morning, as witness was getting ready for school, his cousin ran to him, saying, "You're a cowboy. I am an Indian. I could kill you before you could shoot me." Ho protended to charge witness with' a stick. Witness was carrying the revolver, which was loaded in his belt. Ho pulled it out, •pointed it at his cousin, and it went off. O'Shea called out, "I'm shotl lam dead I" He started to stagger about. Witness assisted him to tho back steps, called somo neighbours, and then himself got water and bathed his cousin's wounds. They were good friends, and there had beon no quarrelling. It was morely play. The Coroner, Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., found that death was caused by a shot fired by Cyril Ernest Clifton. Ho said the case v was one more instance of the almost wicked carelessness of leaving firearms within reach of boys. Ho thought tho boy Cyril Clifton was deserving of much sympathy for the terrible position in which he found himself. The two lads had been left living alone in a house where something had occurred to disturb the equanimity of persons much older than themselves. Tho boys got a fright, and loaded tho Revolver, with the idea of protecting thomselves. Later, forgetting that the revolver was loaded, they played with it as boys would do. Un fortunately, deceased was killed. _ The leaving of a revolver and cartridges within reach of boys by somebody was gross carelessness, and had led to the trouble.