ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9367, 9 February 1909, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Press Association. Dunedin, February 8, The inquest on the body of Samuel Lewis Brooks, who shot himself at Maori Hill last Monday, was concluded to-day. Annie Brooks, wife of deceased, stated that after some words had been exchanged deceased fired two shots®from a revolver, ;one of which struck her on the cheek and the second touched the back of her head, making it bleed. She then rushed outside, and a third shot was rfied. Dr. Fitchett sasid there were three wounds about Mrs Brooks’ head. One wound was immediately in front of the left ear, a round punctured wound, with a good deal of charring on the surrounding skin, and the second was a triangular lacerated wound immediately below the left eye, and the third was on the hack of the head, on the right side. The wound near the ear and that below the eye were in communication. He concluded that these wounds had been caused by a bullet which entered the front of the ear and glanced off the bone and emerged beneath the eye. The wound at the back of the head was a longitudinal abrasion, such as might have been caused by the bullet glancing over the skin. The jury returned a verdict that deceased came by his death from a bullet wound self inflicted while in a temporary fit of insanity. Invercargill, February 8. Fred Morgan, about 15 years of age, while bathing in Uie Waihopai estuary this afternoon, got out of his depth and was drowned, efforts made by another lad who was bathing near by to save him being fruitless. The body was recovered this evening.