SHOOTING FATALITY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 77, 21 September 1911, Page 6

SHOOTING FATALITY

HOY ACCIDENTALLY SHOT BY lIIS BROTHER.

A shooting fatality occurred at Mangorei yesterday afternoon by which the eldest son of Mr. George Herbert, a well-known settler, lost his life. It appears that the hid, with a younger brother and ft companion named Percy Burkett, readied homo from school at about 4.;i0. They found that their father and mother were away in New Plymouth, and their sister, a girl of 1(> years, in charge. The younger •'brothci', named ,lolm, got hold of a Martini rifle belonging to his father, and ibegan to handle it and "play at shooting" 011 the verandah. The eider brothei took the weapon away from him, whereupon the younger went inside, climbed up a wall, and took down a shot gun that his father had carefully put away, as lie thought, out of harm's way. He went outside with it, levelled it at his brother's head in the course of some "playing at shooting," pulled the trigger, and, to his horror, found it was loaded and that he had shot his brother.

The girl was quickly on the scene, neighbors were called in, and Dr. Fookcs summoned by telephone, hut it was apparent from the ugly wound inflicted that the lad was past all mortal aid, a.ntl he expired an hour and a half afterwards. It was a wonder that he. lived one and a; half minutes.

The police were soon on the scene, and an inquest will be held, probably to-day.

Much sympathy is felt for the {amity in their tragic bereavement. The ,boy whs a particularly bright and promising