The Recent Fatality at Palmerston

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 102, 6 February 1886, Page 3

The Recent Fatality at Palmerston

LATER PARTICULMIS. • • Last evening we recorded the fact ! that two men named Boffe and Demist had been suffocated by foul air in • >a weH at Stoney Creek.- The partic- : * olars -since to hand show ■'■ that the ■event was an inexpressibly sad one It appears that Demlar, owing to the is long continued dry weather* found it to clear out' and deepen his ■ :i well. Boffe was lowered down the '*■• well by Demlar, and as shortly after 11 the latter could get no 'answer from •%hn"negot Mrs Denilar and the children to lower him down also in the ? 'l>ucket; On arriving at the bottom — lie found Boffe insensible,' and he at * ionce called upon his wife to haul him " ; tip quickly. - While being pulled up he fell out of tke bucket, and must *' have been completely overpowered in i- the same manner as Boffe. On the »! arrival of Dr Macintire and Constable ;i: Manning *the were extricated, and life was pronounced to be : extinct in each case. A very painful scene y-««ensuedj-in consequence of the uncongrief of "Mrs Demlar, who r;}tfrus suddenly' found herself widowed -—andrhefr 'children fatherless Demlar : >vratioae of the earliest settlers here, '■'■' and was well-known as a hard-work- ■* ing and energetic pioneer. Mr Boffe, who is a relative of Mr Maule's, had * .• -only recently arrived from Wellington. He Waited on the Road Board yesterday, and obtained some small conces- *£ visions in connection ; with a road, and 1 must 1 have gone to the fatal work immediately on his ' return. He was '•'■"> a -• married man,' but we understand '•« iie ; leaves 1 no family. In connection '•with this sad affair, 'we may mention that a death under almost exactly ? similar circumstances occurred on the- adjoining section, Mr Dedge's, about three years ago. ■ The well in • ;% wiuch- Messrs Demlar and Boffe mot "-- their, death is about 30 feet deep. — Manawaiu Times.