ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 17 August 1909, Page 2

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

BURNED IN BED. By Telegra] h.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. At the inquest concerning Thomas Ilickey. „ho was burned to death, the evident -howed deceased was in the habit of smoking in bed. Mrs. Hickcy said »he left her husband on Friday betause he was drinking. A verdict was returned that deceased was burned to death in his own bouse, probably because he smoked in bed while under the inlluence of alcohol.

DEATH FROM INHALING GAS. Westpurl, Last Night. An inquest was held to-night touching the death of John Stewart Donaldsou, who was found dead in the Stockton Co.'s ollice this morning, Donaldson being branch manager for the Stockton Co. Evidence was given as to the rinding of the body wrapped up in blankets, face downwards, with the chin on a pillow, close to the gas meter, with a detached end of a tube from a gas ring under deceased's nose. A man named Munro slated deceased appeared to worry a good deal about business'matters.'ami he had told him not to take thing- 1 »» seriously as there was no occasion for it. Ma-o;i and W'allis, fellow Inmrders. staled that deceased had complained a good deal about the nature of his work requiring long hours on the wharf and much night work, causing sleeplessness, and that lie found it necessary at times to s'nalch some sleep at the ollice. Wallis stated that when he was leaving deceased on Sunday afternoon he enquired what he was going to do in the evening, and-deceased said he would do some work at the office and try and get a little sleep, as he was feeling very tired. Deceased was usually in a bright frame of mind and had no caus'e, as far as witness was aware, for worry. The doctor's evidence was to the effect that death was due to asphyxiation, caused by inhaling coal gas. Sergeant Dew said lie saw no evidence to suggest a reason for suicide, and Coroner Sinclair endorsed this view and returned a verdict in accordance with the doctor's evidence.

SERIOUSLY INJURED BY A CAR. 'Wellington, Last Night. A single man named William Dempscy was seriously injured by an electric tram-car in Vivian street to-night. He and anoElier man had been giving assistance in re-loadinlg some sacks of chaff that had fallen from a lorry. Dempscy dropped the last sack, which rolled on to the tram line and when he attempted to remove it he was' struck by a car and pushed some yards along tlie street. Most of his ribs on his left side are borken, and he has a scalp wound, besides other injuries. His condition is Stated to be critical.