FATAL ENDING

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1928, Page 2

FATAL ENDING

TO BEVOLVED ACT 71DENT

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

WIIANGAUEI. Dee. 17. Henry Samuel Kedgle.v. a hank clerk who was the victim of a shooting accident on Friday, passed away ;it the hospital nt 2 o’clock on Sunday morning. An inquest to-day showed that the deceased and another clerk. Grove, went into a bedroom of the resident officer, Potter, at noon on Friday, preparatory to leaving for lunch. Grove asked Potter to let him have another look at the Mexican helmet lying on the top of a wardrobe. Kedgley put it on first and then handed it to Grove who was standing in the middle of the room near the wardrobe. Deceased was immediatdly in front of him between a mirror and the hack door. Potter said “all you need is a gun to make you into a real'bandit/’ With that he placed a revolver in Groves hand. Potter also said something about put it to your hip. Grove did so and remembered pressing the trigger not realising, though he admitted lie should have done so, that the weapon was loaded. The revolver exploded, the bullet striking Kedgley who was two feet away. The evidence of several witnesses testified to the friendliness of Die clerks and the accidental nature of the whole occurrence.

The Coroner returned a verdict ol accidental death.