ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4836, 21 September 1876, Page 3

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES.

As Mr. Samuel Benge, Mungaroa, was felling bush on Saturday, a tree fell upon him, breaking his leg in two places. The police received information on Sept. Ist that a German had been killed that day by a free falling on him at Horokiwi, near Mr. Cameron's.

Mr. Barnard, one of the masters of the Wellington College, died very su idenly at half-past six o'clock on Wednesday morning, August 30. It appears that he had been ailing for some time, and it is supposed that death was eaused from general debility. We regret to learn by telegram of the death of a little boy named Douglas Noel Halcombe, youngest son of Mr. Arthur Halcombe. Hs was struck by a falling tree at Feilding on September 11th, and lingered in an unconscious state for twenty-four hours, when he died.

The charge against O. E. Haughton waa heard at the Keaident Magistrate's Court on September 14th with closed doora. Messrs. Buckley and Barton made some technical objoctions as to the form of the prosecution, but these were overruled by His Worship, after which the evidence of the principal witness was taken. The accused waa committed to tako his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court. The police received a telegram on September Ist, giviDg a brief account of the accident to the Wairarapa coach, by which Mr. Toxward, architect, had one of his legs broken. It appeara that just aB the coach arrived opposite Roadman's house a terrific squall upset the coach and turned it over the hill. No one but Mr. Toxward was severely injured. The telegram further stato'.l that the horses were going

steadily at the time, and no blame could be attached to the driver. On Saturday forenoon two men carrying swags entered the shop of Mr. Boss laita, and asked to be allowed to rest. Tins was granted. One of the men said to the other, " Take off your swag ;" and as the man addressed was in the act of doing so, he fell down, apparently in a fit. Ordinary means bein<* ineffectual for his restoration, a neighboring boy, David Mabey, was despatched on horseback for Br. Wilford, who was promptly in attendance ; but on his arrival life was found to be extinct. His mate could not even give the name of the deceased, but said that from what he could gather from him on the road he had been at one time in the employment of Mr. JEa«by, Wellington. The was removed on a stretcher to Mr. Corbett s, Albion Hotel. . Mr. C. J. Toxward, who was so much injured by the recent coach accident, was brought into town on Sept. 3rd by Mr Hastwell, Dr. Diver having recommended that this should be done. Mr. Shirley, of the Featherston Hotel, who with Mrs. Shirley had done everything possiblo by careful attention and watching to alleviate Mr. Toxward's sufferings, accompanied him, and though every means was adopted to make the journey easy to the patient, he was in great pain the whole way. The trip occupied from half-past eight to half-past five. Mr. R. J. Duncan, who is badly shaken, also came into town by the same conveyance. Messrs. Toxward and Duncan are exceedingly thankful to Mr. and Mrs. Shirley and Mr. Hastwell for the kindness they have shown during the past few days. A very sad case of attempted suicide occurred on September 4th. The details are of the most painful kind. The victim was a young man named Pietro Corrado, who has been some time in the colony, and had latterly had an engagement in the Public Works department a 3 messenger, his salary being 365. per week. It appears that Corrado committed the rash act in the morning on the road opposite the railway station. He was observed by a man working on the_ railway, who saw him point a revolver at his breast. He rushed forward, but was too late to prevent the unfortunate young man accomplishing his object. The bullet penetrated his body, and he fell, but was not insensible, for he was capable of answering questions put to him. Mr. Crottie, who happened to be at ths railway station at the time, went over and asked Corrado if he had purposely shot himself, to which the answer was, " Yes, I did;" and in response to an inquiry as to the cause of his acting so, he said, "They have accused me of stealing a letter, and I wish to die." A letter was found on Corrado, addressed "To anyone who shall find me." The letter ran as follows:—"To anyone who shall find me—l die victim of those who so unscrupulously have darked around me with the most heinous and false charge. I hope to find in Heaven right justice, what I couldn't have got among men on this earth.— The unfortunate P. Corrado, Wellington, this3rd morning of September, 1876." The explanation of this strange conduct is, so far as we have been able to learn, as follows:—Recently a letter despatched from the Public Works office miscarried, that is, the envelope reached its destination, hut without the letter. The letter was subsequently found in the waste-paper basket, part of it bearing some scribbling in the hand of Corrado. He had a habit of thus writing onscrapsofpaper,andthereforethere seems little probability that he could have been concerned in the detention of the letter, which, a 3 often happens, may have been accidentally left out of the envelope by the writer, and afterwards have got into the waste-paper basket. Owing to some remarks made by another messenger, which seemed to implicate him, Corrado become extremely hurt, and apparently let the matter prey on his mind, and to make his grief the greater it is stated that he wa3 rudely excluded from the Government buildings on Saturday. Corrado was well educated, and spoke the English language tolerably well. He had been employed as interpreter to the Italian immigrants. Just prior to the act, and for some time previously, he had been living with a countryman of his own, one Mr. Agorio, who has a small grocer's shop in MoJes-worth-street, and the latter informed our reporter on Monday that Corrado had appeared to be deeply wounded in his feelings by being, as he alleged, rudely excluded from the Government buildings, and being suspected of purloining a letter, of which by the way immediately after he had shot himself he swore that he was innocent. He had been engaged by Mr. Cemino, who Hve3 nearly opposite the hospital, to teach his children the Italian language. He had dined with Mr. Cemino in the afternoon, and in the evening he went to church service with him and his family. After returning to hi 3 lodgings, he had apparently sat up all night, writing letters and preparing packages of Bmall items of personal property as mementoes to friends. One of these was addressed to Mr. Cemino, and another to the Resident Agent at Jackson Bay, Mr. McFarlane, whose guest he had lately been when on a visit to chat locality, in company with others of his countrymen. Early in the morning he told his landlord, Mr. Agorio, that he need not prepare any breakfast foi him, but suspicion was not aroused until a later hour, when some letters were found lying on his table. Almost immediately afterwards the information was conveyed to Mr. Agorio that he had shot himself. Soon after Corrado had shot himself, Sergeant Ready was on the scene, and had him placed in an express, in which he was taken to the hospital, and there received every attention. He was in a very exhausted condition. Up to a late hour last night he was in the same state as when he was taken to the hospital. On Tuesday the bullet was extracted, it being found to be flattened where it had struck against one of his ribs. Pietro Corrado, wh» attempted to kill himself the other day, is progressing favorably, and confident hopes are entertained of his recovery. Although very weak, he is able to eat and drink, and improves in strength daily. A somewhat singular attempt at suicide was made early last Saturday morning (says the Wairarapa Standard of September 5) by a middle-aged man named Thumas Wetherly, who during the past three months has been working on a road contract in the Lower Hutt Valley. As far as we can learn he came to the Tauherenikau Hotel on Friday evening, and was provided with a bed there. About midnight the landlord discovered Wetherly Btriking off matches in a dangerous manner, and in consequence turned him out of his establishment. There is little doubt but that Wetherly was suffering from delirium tremens, and that the rash attempt which he made on his own life was due to temporary I insanity caused by excessive drinking, i Shortly after daylight on Saturday morning he was observed lying by the aide of the main road, half way between Tauherenikau and Greytowa, in a pjol of blood, with a razor beside him, with which he had completely severed his windpipe. Constable Byrn was immediately informed of the discovery, and galloping down found him alive and had him conveyed to the Wairarapa Hospital, where he was attended by Dr. Spratt. We are glad to learn that in Bpite of the serious wound mado in his throat he 13 likely to recover. He has had every attention paid to him both by Dr. Spratt and the custodian of the hospital. We trust the Licensing Bench of this district will deem it their duty to investigate this case. A certain amount of responsibility rest 3 on its members to see that licensed houses do not conduct their business in such a manner as to result in self-murder or sudden death.