MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 66, 6 May 1870, Page 3

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.

TWO. LIVES LOST.

Some six months back it became our painful duty to chronicle a series of accidental deaths in this neighborhood' positively alarming. So quickly indeed did accident follow > accident," that it seemed as" though some strange fatality hung over the entire district. The accidents to which we have above alluded arose in a great measure, if not entirely, from earth falls ; and si nee. the setting in of the summer, with the exception of„the sudden death of a child at or near the Houndbum, we have been free from further violations by. sudden death till yesterday afternoon, when an accident occurred of a more thrilling and painful nature than any which had preceded, and by which two old and respected residents of this town (father and son) met with a watery grave. The facts are these:—Yesterday morning Mr. Thomas Lawson, baker of this town, accompanied by his eldest son William, a lad of about fourteen or fifteen years of age, and Mr. George Munro, a miner, left this town in a cart carrying bread to Hamilton. It will be known to the residents of this place that to reach Hamilton it is necessary to cross the Taieri River. The recent heavy rain 3 and the melting of the snow had rendered the river deep, swift, and dangerous to ford. At the Plough Inn the party was joined by Mr. Amies, the landlord, find all proceeded on their way to Hamilton. . Arrived at the ford, the river was discovered to be bank and bank high, when Messrs. Amies and Munro, considering the risk too great, declined to cross, and left' the cart, using at the same time every persuasion to induce Mr. Lawson not to hazard the attempt..' Mr. Lawson, feeling that the height of the cart rendered his passage safe, determined to

mate an effort to cross; and entered the rivor. On entering,,the horse refused to face the strong current -running, and Mr. Lawson was compelled to allow him to return again to shore. A second attempt was made, but the horse still refused to face the current, and headed down stream until he was carried into deep water, when the cart capsized, plunging■ the unfortunate father and son into the rapid' torrent The son jumped out of the cart when he found it disappearing from beneath him, and .struggled for some time, though ineffectual ly; to reach the shore, during which time every effort was made by Messrs. Amies and Mimrotp rendrr Assistance, unfortunately wifchoirt success. The father appeared to hold on by the cart until the last; and disappeared when it sank, having probably become either hurt}or entangled in the reins. "When all hope of rendering further assistance had passed Messrs. Amie3 and Munro came to JSTaseby and reported the fatal accident to the police. Up to the time at which we write no account had been received of the bodies having been found. Mr. Lawson was a great ft vorite both here and at the Kyeburn, at both of which places he had long resided, and where the widow still resides with her now only child. Deep sympathy is felt for the widow, and the residents intend rendering every assistance to the pbliee to-day in dragging the river, and attempting'to recover the bodies.