RESULT OF CARELESSNESS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 319, 18 November 1880, Page 2

RESULT OF CARELESSNESS.

One of .the most foolish and reprehensible actions-we ever heard of whs perpetrated Ust week hy a boy named Petherick, living in Wellington, (says a contemporary). He had by some means, it appears from the local papers, obtained possession of a dynamite; cartridge '“with' the usual fuse end explosive cap attached. While walking up Cuba street with a companion named’ Benn.dt, the conversation turned on the cartridge, and the manner in which it could bo exploded , In order to see how the fuse burned Burnett lit .a match and applied it to its end, Petherick putting it ouE as he thought, when it had burnt down some little distance. A few moments afterwards the cartridge exploded . with appalling violence blowing off Petberick’s left band, in which 'bo was carrying it, and completely shattering the show window of Mr Bannister’s shop, in front of which the lads were standing. ■ Both of them were thrown down with considerable violence, and the neighbourhood within - 'a radius of half a mile was considerably alarmed by the report, which resembled that of a cannon shot, A large crowd gathered on the scene of the accident, nobody having the slightest idea of what had happened until Petherick coolly got up and walked into ihe shop, where one of the attendants seeing that prompt action was necessary at once tied a pocket handkerchief as tightly around the wrist as the appliances at his disposal would permit, in order to prevent hemorrhage. Constable O’Connor arrived a minute or two Later, and at once conveyed Petherick in a cab to the surgery of Dr Diver, who found it necessary to amputate the limb at the middle of the fore-arm. The arm was most complotly severed at the wiist that anyone who saw and had not heard of the accident, would have been led to the belief that it had been cut off with a blunt axe. .\ll the sinews leading to the fingers were, however, hanging to the stump, looking as white as flax. The hand was subsequently found about 100 yards down the street, being, of course, fearfully mangled. Bennett was also considerably bruised about the legs and arms. It will be some time before Petherick will go fooling with dynamite again.