Sad Fatality

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 97, 4 February 1893, Page 2

Sad Fatality

We regret to have to record the death of Mr Frank A. Orbell, who has been a few months resident in the Stoney Creek district, and had an office in the Standard premises, where he carried on the business of a laud and commission agent. At 3.14 yesterday afternoon the writer was startled by a sound of crashing in Mr Orbeli's room, followed by a groan. Sus peeling something was wrong, an inspection of the door revealed the fact that it was locked and the odour of gunpowder was issuing from the keyhole. To ring up the police and the doctors was the work of a moment, and then an axe was procured and the door broken in. The room was filled with smoke, Mr Orbell sitting on a chair with his coat off, bis head hanging on his breast, breathing hard, a shot-gun resting against him, the trigger tied to a leg of the tnble with string, and his shirt on fire from the discharge. An examination proved that a charge of shot had entered tiie body in the region of the heart and caused almost instantaneous death, part of the shot penetrating right through the bodyBefore pulling the trigger, Mr Orbell had taken oh his coat and hat, unbuttoned his waistcoat. Deceased was formerly a hind owner in Otago, where he was a very old resident. Ha was about fifty-five years of age, and of a genial disposition, and only the day before was relating to us his early experiences in Otago with Sir Julius VogeJ. He leased Ernstrom's farm at Stoney Creek, where his wife and family are now residing. Au inquest will be held by Mr G. M. Snelson, District Coroner, to day. — Manawaiu Standard. ,