THE FATAL ACCIDENT IN NAPIER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 45, 21 February 1879, Page 4

THE FATAL ACCIDENT IN NAPIER.

At the ii quest held on (he late Fergennt-Mfjor Kelsi.ll who was killed while walking at Ihe Rifta ButlP. Napier, the followinr formed the chief evidence-: — Donnnn Guy deposed: I am clerk of the R-M. Court at Napier. ! reniem^pr Saturday last, (he 25ih inst. I wrs onp of the firing party praclisinc at the Tutafkuri Rifle range on that day. I wes firing along with Walter Newton nnd about six others. Walter Keleall. the dereast'd, was rnarkiDg at the butts, by himself. We had flit d over t! c £00, 400.. nnd 500, ranges, and came bark to the 200 yards when the deceased met up. I pari him for those that had fired. It was then arranged thai the deceased should go bark to the butfp,and mark for the second party. The arrangement was with deceased, who went back to the butts the danger fiflg at the butts wp.s flying nt the time. When decoded got back to the butts the danger flig was taken dowD, and deceased went under cover in the butts. Our danger fcit'nol wa3 tbken dowu at the firias point nnd the shooting commenced by three of a party, one of whom was Mr Newton. They finished at the 200, and retired back to the 400 yards. Toe signals were put up nnd taken down in the ordinary manner, and the hits properly marked. At the fioUh of the 400, Mr Newton said he wanted to fire two shot at 500 yards range. We all then retired back to the 500, walked in a cluster, the danger fi*g being carried by one of the party over bis shoulder, I did not notice any danger flag at the butts when we left the 400. When we reached the 500 I say there was a danger fl »g at the batte. Our danger flig was then put down, and I saw Walter Newion lie dowu and take aim. When he was taking his aim I am perfectly certain there was no red flag at the butts. I saw Kelaell come round between the bottsand the target almost simultaneously with the report of Newton's rifle. Newton got up and made a remark that it was lucky he lowered the mizzle of bis rifle, or words to that effect. From this wo thought KX-lsall was cot hit. I saw Kelsall immediately turned roand and got behind the but'S Thinking no harm was done Newton fired his second shot which was a hit. We waited to see if it would be signalled, for J should say about one mioute, when I saw the danger flag wave on the opposite side of the butt once or twice up or down. I could sac tho danger flar* on the ground, and whit I thought lo be KelsaU on his hands and kneea Lieut. Pell then made the remark, " he might be hit " With that I ran ac fust as I could, all the others following me. I got first to deceased. He was on his back, partly leaning on «n embankment. There was a great quantity of hlood on the ground. Deceesed was lying oc the opposite side of the butt from the target. The first words he said were "My left leg." I pulled up his trousers, saw the wound on both sides of the call of his leg, and tho blood was flowieg from both sides. I got a towel, bound it round the leg as tightly as I could, until Dr de Lisle came. Deceased aaid to me "It's a bad job this." He fainted from loss of blood. He said v "I thought you were going away when you left the 400." Somebody said "Newton wanted to fire two Bhots at the 500." He said that from the manner in which the red flag was carried he concluded we were going away. Deceased asked who fired the shot. Some one said it was young Newton. He blamed no one. Dr de Lisle arrived ten minutes after the accident. I then took off the towel, end the Dootor examined the leg. The bleeding appeared to have stopped. I have bern a Volunteer since 1859, and have been present at numberless firing parties. I saw nothing unusual in tho way the firing was canied on, on the day in question.