SUDDEN DEATH OF CAPTAIN RANDALL OF THE S.S. OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 430, 18 October 1866, Page 2

SUDDEN DEATH OF CAPTAIN RANDALL OF THE S.S. OTAGO.

(From the New Zealand Advertiser, I5tU October.)We have one of the most melancholy duties that has ever fallen to our lot to. perform in recording the sudden death of Captain Band all, of the P.,N.Z. & A.R.M, Company’s s.s. Otago. Thi* steamer left here on Monday with a number of members of the General Assembly and others as passengers, and her commander was apparently in as good health and spirits as ever he was. On Tuesday a telegram was received, reporting the Otago’s arrival at Lyttelton. The next news that was received was by telegram yesterday from Mr Clayton, chief-officer of the ship, to Capt. Benson, wuich was couched ia the following brief words:—“ Capt. Eandall was married on Wednesday morning, and died same night between Lyttelton and Port Chalmers; supposed to be a fit. An inquest will be held." A doubt was entertained as to the correctness of the word “ married," as it looked equally like maimed ” in the message delivered, and Mr Sheath had a message sent to Dunedin to ascertain which was the right word, to which he got a reply that it was “ married.” We need scarcely dwell on the sadness of death at such a time. Captain Randall was a gentleman who was held in the hightest esteem by all who knew him, was much liked by his officers and passenger.-, and commanded the confidence of the Company he served to such an extent that we believe, it was intended to give him command of one of the Panama steamers. He joined the service in 1862, having brought out the Morpeth from England for the Hunter River Steam Navigation Company of New South Wales, and loft her to enter the service of the then Intercolonial Company, and on Captain Smith leaving the Otago to return to England, was placed in charge of her, and with him as captain she has always held the place of one of the most favorite steamers plying m these seas. Captain RanHuj) leaves a mother and sisters who followed him out from England, and who are now residing in Auckland, and were, wo believe, mainly dependent on him for support.

Since the above was written, wo have received the following telegram, which fully confirms the whole of the sad tale:— Po-t Chalmers, Thursday, 5 - 22 p.m. The steamship Otago arrived in Port Chalmers this morning, She brings the sad intelligence that Captain .Randall died on the previous evening, on the passage from Lyttelton to this port. He was married the same morning, at Christchurch, to Mrs Laiug, a widow lady, who was a passenger from Melbourne to Dunedin. Previous to marriage, Captain Kandall had a slight fit, from which, however, he recovered so rapidly that no fears were entertained. On arriving on board, after his marriage, ho retired to h s cabin and remained there alt the afternoon. About seven o’clock Mrs hand all gave the alarm that something was the matter with Captain -Randall. Lights were immediately brought, and the unfortunate gentleman was found lying on hia face in his berth. Dr Puchanan immediately attended, and applied most powerful restoratives, but without success. The doctor believes he was dead when the alarm was given. Mrs Hand all bad been asleep in the opposite berth. It is said that the captain was subject to fits. The cabin was quite dark.