FATAL ACCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3027, 8 December 1891, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A distressing accident, terminating fatally, occurred on Sunday morning to a little girl, Claiu Bruce Sutter, five yearn of ape, daughter of Mr A. IJnice Su'ti.r, of Eureka. Uy some means the little girl's clothes caught on tire, and Mr Suttir's attention was attracted to her by her loud screams. lie ruslnal out and saw the child running up the hi U towards him, enveloped in flames, all her doilies beim; 011 fiie. Mr Suttor seized some clothing and smothered the Haines out as quickly as possible, receiving considerable burns on his hands iu doing so. .Everything that was possible was done to alleviate the little one's sufferings, which must have been considerable, as the whole of her body was more or less burnt, the upper part, of tha fhicrhs and abdomen,more severely than the other purt-i. Mr Suttor immediately came into Hamilton to consult with Dr. Kenny, who, on learning the extent, of the little sufferer's injuries, held out but faint, hopes of her recovery. Ke proceeded to Eureka, and dressed the wounds, which took some considerable time, but the little one bora up manfully. The doctor [recommended the patient's removal into Hamilton so tliat he could be iu constant, attendance, as he saw the case was a critical one. The child was brought, into Hamilton, arriving about 8 p.m., and was accompanied by Mrs Suttor and Dr. Kenny, who was again in attendance at 10.30 o'clock. The little girl became unconscious about this time and expired at half-past three a.m.

The parents are unable to account, fur the accident otherwise than that tho child was playing with tho kitchen fire, there being no one in the kitchen just about that time, a,nd the little girt win undet j toud to say that she had been poking sticks in the fire.

An inqne»t hold yesterday afternoon at the H unilt >11 Mitel before Mr W. N corontr, the following jnrv being emnmnelleil :—Messrs (i. P.. it. j. B. H.arker, I>. Mclutvrj, L. Stougie, Jno. Mnrphv, and K,. J. (iwynoe, of whom th.-last-named was chosen as foreman. Mr Suttor and Dr. Kenny were examined, but there was no evidence to show how tlie child's clothes caught lire, and a verdict of Accidental death, caused by a nervous shock, the result of the burns, was returned. The j'iry expressed their approval of Dr. Kenny's action in proceeding to Eureka to attend the case, which was an extremely urgent one.