INQUEST.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2147, 24 March 1870, Page 2

INQUEST.

At tho Prince Alfred Hotel, Great King street, this afternoon, Mr Hocken, City Coroner, and a jury, held an inquiry touching the death of George Miller, reported in our last night’s issue. The following evidence was given; Alexander Cowie stated ; I know the deceased, who was about 18 or 19 years of age ; he was a printer, and worked at Ferguson and Mitchell’s. The deceased, myself, and five others agreed to go kaka shooting on Tuesday evening. We left town at about eleven o’clock, reaching a hut on Pine Hill about two o’clock the next morning. We waited until daylight, and then agreed to separate in parties of two, with the exception of one who was to remain in the hut. Before this they had their guns loaded, with the exception of mine. At tho time the accident happened, three of us were with deceased, Ho was standing, leaning on his gun, with the butt on the ground. The hammer was down on the cap. I did not think it could have been at half-cock, or I would have noticed it. Suddenly I saw a llasli j the gun went off, the contents, as X thought, lodging in his face. He fell immediately. As I fan forward to his assistance, the biood spoiitc 1 from his mouth. 1 called on some of the others to get water ; and we bathed his face. He kicked ; but appeared to bo quite insensible. Noticing that his face became discolored, I and another determined to start for town for medical assistant’. On our way down, we called up a German settler, and informed him of the accident. Wc called on Dr Burns, and informed deceased’s father of the accident. The gun was loaded about ten minutes before the accident. Deceased was well acquainted with the use of tho gun, he being a volunteer. He was in the habit of leaning over the muzzle of his gun. [The gim was here produced, and it was explained, for a small gun the spring of the hammer was unusually strong.] Deceased’s foot was nob against the trigger. He was standing a short distance from a lire we lighted. I don’t think there was any L ose powder about, he died just as wo left for town. There was no “ larking” going on when tho accident happened. Murdoch Macgregor stated that the deceased always carried the gun with the hammer down ; he had used the gun for the last two years. Witness heard the report of the gun, and saw the deceased stumble at almost the same time. The hammer was turned towards tho deceased, and witness believed tho cause of the gun going off was simply pressure on the cap. None of tho party drank other than tea and coffee during the time they -were out. Dr Burns stated that, from the position of the wound, he would say that the deceased’s face inclined much forward. He thought gome of the shots entered the brain. The jury Returned a verdict of “Accidental death.''