Drowning Accident.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4715, 16 February 1884, Page 2

Drowning Accident.

A CHILD FALLS DOWN A WELL

About four o'clock yesterday afternoon it was reported to the police that a little child named Isidore Campbell, granddaughter of a woman living ou tbe spur between the Moanatairi and Waiotabi creeks, had fallen down a well and been drowned. The body was recovered:* very shortly after the accident occurred, and means were taken to restore animation, but they were fruitless, life being extinct. The well is not a deep one, being the top of a caved»in shaft, and there were only about three feet of water in it. The child was lying head downwards. The circumstances of the case will be gathered from THE INQUEST. The inquest was held at 11 o'clock this morning in the Golden As:e Hotel, Waio* tahi Creek, before Dr Kilgour, Coroner, and the following jury:—Messrs G. J. Lawlor (Foreman), J. Pearce, M. Yaugban, J; Miller, G. Robinson, T. Henaelly, W. Mahoney, G. Crocker, J. Meir, W. Martin, T. Buckley, and H. Angove.

After the jury had received the body, the following witnesses were examined :—

Mary Amelia Campbell, grandmother of the child, deposed that the deceased was in her care. About half-past three o'clock yesterday afternoon the child wished to go down to the well, but witness told her she was not to go, as she might fall in ; had repeatedly warned her not to go near the well. The child took two little cans, and went away, but witness becoming anxious, after the lapse of "a minute or two, went to the door and called her. Deceased answered, but as witness could not see her, she almost immediately ran down to the well; could not see her there, but observed one of the cans and a little doll the child had in her hand. 'Seeing Messrs Eowe and Cloutt, witness asked them if they had seen a little girl. They replied they had not, and witness then cried out that the child must be down the well. Mr Greenslade came running out with a rake, with which he fished the child out of the well. They tried to restore the child, but life was extinct. She was very fond of the child.

Joseph Cloutt deposed that it was about a quarter to four yesterday afternoon when he saw Mrs Campbell standing by the well. When they told her they had not seen the child, she exclaimed that it must be down the well. Mr Greenslade then got a rake, and Mr Power pulled the child out of the well with it. He went for a doctor, but could not find one.

W. Rowe gave corroborative evidence. On arriving at the well they saw one tin full of water close to the edge, and an empty one floating in the well. On recovering the child steps were taken, though unavailingly, to restore animation. The well was between three and four feet deep. He was of opinion that animation could not have been restored even had a medical man been available. The water showed no signs of being disturbed. Not more than two minutes elapsed between the time Mrs Campbell spoke to them, and the taking of the child-out of the well. The water was not clear, and the child coald not be seen.

The jury, without retiring, retnrried a verdict of "Accidentally drowned," adding a rider to the effect that the hole should be filled up at once, to prevent a recurrence of similar mishaps.