A MAN SHOT AT WEST TAIERI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 320, 29 December 1862, Page 5

A MAN SHOT AT WEST TAIERI.

A very melancholy accident, which it is to be feared has resulted in the death of a man named John Curie, occurred on Christmas Day, in the Maungatua Bush, West Taieri. The most reliable account received in town, is the police report, which is to the following effect:— b

About six o'clock in the erening of Thursday, Mr Fulton and Mr Cockrell,were amusing themselves with rifle ball practice at a target, two friends being with them. The gentleman who was marking, and who was near the target, heard a " cooey," and on going to the spot whence the call came, lie found Curie lying on the ground bleeding from a gun shot wound. The unfortunate man was at once carried to the residence of Mr Cockrell, and messengers were despatched for Drs. Sherlock and Couderoy, who were speedily in attendance on the sufferer. They found that a ball had struck him about an inch to the right of the back bone, and had passed through underneath the right breast. Everything possible was done by the medical men; but they entertained no hope of Curie's recovery. It appears that Curie, who is a sawyer, had been shooting kakas, and had lost his way in the bush. The spot at which he was found lying was from GO to 70 yards to the left of the target, so that there can be but little doubt that the hall had struck, and glanced from the hard bark of a tree. It is not known which of the two gentlemen named fired the shot which led to so ainictingly painful a result. There was a rumour last night that Curie was dead.