Death of Mr Mellish.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 21 February 1891, Page 2

Death of Mr Mellish.

We briefly chronicled in our last issue that Mr Hellish had shot himself on Thurday morning last. From particulars published by the Manawatu Timet we learn that "it appears that Mr Mellish had gone out with a breech-loading, gun into a small paddock adjoining the house with the intention of shooting a cat. Some little time afterwards, Mrs Mellish, hearing the report of the gun, went outside, and found her husband lying on the ground shot in the side- just above the hip. He lived but a few minutes and died in her arms'. The gun was lying in some tangled wire, and it is surmised that it became caught in the wire in some way, and so caused the melancholy accident. Dr Macintyre was called in, bnt the deceased was dead before his arrival." It will be seen that an accident can be very easily managed in apparently safe places. At the inquest the verdict was " accidentally killed by a gun-shot wound."

Mr Mellish was a son of Mr Mellish, who was Resident Magistrate at Chiistchurch, for many years. Mr Mellish had lived and practised in Palmerston for some 4 or 5 years. He was only married in June last. We are not surprised to learn that such an unfortunate accident has caused a gloom over the town deceased resided in, and where he was very popular.