ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 161, 6 January 1912, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

A TRAP ACCIDENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Friday. A trap containing the four Misses Kingans, of Rawest, who were going to Maungawera, met a motor car. The horse took fright and capsized the trap over a bank. The eldest girl received concussion of the brain, and the next eldest cuts and contusions. The two youngest were unhurt. , SHOOTING FATALITY. / Gore, Last Night. James Crombie, aged about 22, the son of a well known farmer at Otama, was found on the roadside near his parents' residence on Wednesday, with •a bullet wound in his head. He was conveyed to the Gore hospital and died last night without regaining consciousness. An inquest is to he held this evening. A'rusty pea-rifle wherewith Crombie shot rabbits was found near him. DEATH UNDER ANAESTHETIC. Timaru, Last Night. An inquest was held to-day into the. death of Mrs. Birchfleld, wife of the licensee of the Saltwater Creek Hotel, who died yesterday while an anaesthetic wa being administered: The post mortem revealed weakness of the heart. KILLED BY AN AIR-GUN. Auckland, Last Night. Beatrice Alice 'Fortes, aged three years, died in a private hospital to-day, as the result of a bullet wound received by the accidental discharge of an airgun. Deceased was hawing dinner with her parents at Opotiki on December 19, and her little brother was playing with the gun, not knowing the" weapon was loaded. The bullet lodged in her forehead. A SERIOUS FALL. Rbtorua, Last Night. Two young lady visitors 'from Auckland (Misses Gordon and Silva) had an exciting experience here this evening with serious results to one of them. It appears that both of them were riding one horse at a fast gallop', when, pulling up, it swerved unexpectedly,. throwing :, both of the young ladies off. Miss Silva fell on her face, and sustained a slight concussion, besides being badly brused. Miss Gordon escaped with a shaking. CRUSHED BY A TREE. Dunedin, Last Night. An inquest on the body of James Mehalski, who died on Xmas Day as the result of a tree falling on him on December 6, was held to-day. The evidence showed that deceased and a mate named Qiter were sitting in the lattei's tent i* the afternoon. A xery> strong wind prevailed, and deceased wenf'into his mate's hut, thinking it would be safer than his own. The tree was uprooted by the wind and fell on the tent, Qiter being dazed and deceased, who was pinned under the tree, being unconsciousness. The medical evidence was that deceased's spinal column was probably fractured. The cause of death was exhaustion, following on the injuries. The Coroner recorded a verdict of death from a frac- | tured spine caused by being accidentally crushed by a tree.