Fatal Accident.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 36, 8 January 1883, Page 2

Fatal Accident.

■» A. most melancholy fatal accident J occurred on Saturday evening, by which ! a new settler, named Gardiner, I lost his life. It appears that the unfortunate maa had only arrived m Palmerston the previous day or so, with his wife, having come direct fron tbe Home Country by a recent ship. His family, all grown up, we believe, had been settled iv and about Ashurst, and bad been joined by their father and mother, both well up m years. A most joyful meeting had taken place, after a separation extending over several years. Mrs Gardiner and one son, with the deceased, were all going out to A.ahurst, having made a number of purchases, m the way of furnishing &c. The wife and son preceded the father jn a spring trap, waiting»at Terruce End fophim to overtake them. Ho was driving a dray, riding on the vehic'e, tearly opposite Brightwell's old store Main«street when the train came along and startled the horse, which became terrified and broke into, a gallop. As seen by the' passenger 3 itf the train, the deceased seemed to hare lost control over the horse, and either to fall, or try to jump into throad. He fell apparently between the horse and the cart, the wheel of which was seea to go over his head, and as he did not rise it was surmised he was seriously if not fatally injured. When ( picKed up it was seen that the back of his head was crushed m, and death must havo been instantaneous. The body was removed to the Hospital, and Di Harvey was called m who pronounced life extinct. The accident is a particularly sad one, from the fact that the deceased, who, we should say would be about 60 years of age, had just come out to join his family, having brought with him the savings of many years of frugal industry. The poor suddenly* widowed woman's despairing agony q( mind was pitiful to behold, and the son's grief was top great for tears. It is one of the saddest family bereavements, and most distressing fatal accidents that have occurred m the district, and sympathy with the bereaved is genuine, spontaneous, and universal. It is almost certain that the great change took place instantaneously, and probally, almost painlessly. After years of patient industry, and gin the anticipation of spending bhe evening of his days with bis family, to be thus cut

off, and m su-h a tetii^y .udtieu and dreadful manner, will cause the incident to bo long re 111 timbered m Palmerston and tha district. When found the body was lying on its back, the jaws distended, some considerable hemorrage from the terribly contusion m the skull, and m the hand was a pieca ot bun tliß unfortunate deceased had been eating as he went along m his cart. We deed scarcely say that the family are crushed with a sense of their awful bereavement, and that the memory of the terrible accident will probably be present with them till their dying day. Poor Mrs Gardiner, mtarally feels the blow most acutely, — to be thu* separated her partuer m life's joy and sorrows, after breaking up her home and all her old associations, to ventureacrosa the sea to join her family, and have .the happiness of restoration changed to the agony of bereavement within a few hours.

The inquest took place this forenoon, when a verdict m accordance with the evidence and medical testimony was returned.