FATAL GUN ACCIDENT NEAR TE AWAMUTU. The Inquest.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1888, 12 August 1884, Page 2

FATAL GUN ACCIDENT NEAR TE AWAMUTU. The Inquest.

An inquest waa held on Saturday, the Bth inst, before Mr Gresham, coroner, on the body of Charles Gib on, aged 14 years, (son of Mr John Gibson,) who met his death by being accidentally shot in the thigh while out rabbit shooting, on Thursday afternoon, ,1 jury of twelve was sworn of whom Mr J. YValton was chosen foreman. William Nabbs, junr , being sworn, deposed that on Thursday, he was out shooting rabits when he joined in with deceased and hi 3 brother Walter, aged sixteen years, near the Manetupiko school. We all had guns. This was about a quarter past five. The deceased came through a wire fence after me. My gun was empty at the time. Walter Gibson waiouryingri breach-loader. I heaul the report ot a gun. I said, What is that? Walter said, My brother is shot. I turned round then and saw deceased lying in the ditch. I saw the wound about three inches above the knee in the left leg. I asked Walter who shot Charlie ; he said he did. He said he was just putting the hammer down on the nipple. Walter's gun was a doublebarrel. I got a strap from Walter, and bound up the leg above the knee, so as to stop the bleeding, and went for deceased's father, while Walter remained with his brother. Walter Nettleham Gibson, sworn, deposed : I waa out shooting rabbits on Thursday with my brother and William Nabbs, who had got through a wire fence my brother was getting tlnough. I was putting the hammers of my gun down, both barrels being loaded. I pulled the wrong trigger (having hold of one of the hammers), when the charge went off shooting my brother who was just jumping the ditch. He fell into the ditch. The remainder of the evidence corroborated that of the previous witness. Dr Blunden, being sworn, deposed : About half-past six on the evening of the 7th inst., Frank Gibson came to me and asked me to come to his father's place, as his brother had shot himself. . I came and found deceased lying on "His bed. His left leg had a strap on above the knee. I removed his clothes, and found a wound in the thigh, about the lower part of the middle third, such as would be made by a charge of shot at a very close distance. The point of entrance was a longitudinal slit about two inches long, and was on the outside of the thigh. The point of exit was on the same horizontal line on the inside, and was about the size of a five-shilling piece. There was no bleeding, but some oozing when I examined it. There was a good deal of blood about the clothes and bed. The artery was not cut across, but was injured. The thigh-bone was broken. I set the leg in splints, but recognising the gravity of the case I sent for Drs Waddington and Cushny to come over. Dr Cushny came next day at 11, the time I appointed. He made an examination of the leg, and found the fracture was comminuted as well as compound. After consultation, We decided that the best chance for his life was amputation, and was more likely to be successful by being done at once. Having put him under chloroform, we amputated the thigl^about- two or three inches higher up than the wound. This waa about 1 p.m. Deceased recovered from the chloroform, but seemed to be suffering from the shook. I left him then, and returned that evening about 8 p.m., when I found he had died about half an hour, previous to my arrival. I consider that the canse of death waa the shock to. the system, consequent on the remoyal of -so large a portion of the body. -I believe death must have taken place from, suppurative exhaustion if,,arnputation had not taken place. , Dr. .Cushney was of the same opinion. , JphnjNe'ttleham Gibson, father . of the deceased, deposed to having found the boy;- tying in, the,, paddock,! shot -.through the,lej? ,a8 by ; the J witnesses. Bt^wa^present^whenhis.sqn.diedl/) ' < f , fthe.-flnry -returned a A^raipt/pf accideut% ) ■ ,

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