THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT TE KOAO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1860, 7 June 1884, Page 2

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT TE KOAO.

Ox Thursday Dr. Keale, district; coroner, held an inquest on the body of the late Mr James Mitchell, who was killed by the falling of a tree in the bnsh on Ills property at Te Koao, neav Ngaruawahia, on the previous day. Mr Rathborne was foreman of the jury. The evidence of Win, McDonald, a labourer in the employment of deceased, went to show that on Wednescay morning Mr Mitchell, his son and witness wcie engaged felling a tree in the bush. Deceased was not working. They did not complete the job in the morning, and after dinner witness and deceased returned, and the latter went to the tree, and putting in a wedge on the side where the tree leant over, struck it with a maul. After a few blows had been given, witness heard thp tiee at'.ve a loud report, and called out to deceased to gi-t away. Deceased dropped the maul and* ran. The tree fell with a crash, biinghig down with it a large limb belonging to an adjoining tree, and this limb struck deceased about the neck. Witness was then about ten yards away, but he immediately ran to the spot, and found deceased quite dead, lying under the limb. Walter John Mitchell, son of deceased, gave corroborative testimony. The occurrence was the result of pure accident. Deceased was 73 years of age. The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of accidental death.