ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2625, 6 October 1909, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

SUDDEN DEATH OF A GIRL.

The painfully sudden death of Miss Eva Humphreys, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. 11. Humphreys, of Ormond Road, occurred yesterday morning. About 7 a.m,' her little brother, who occupied the same room, got up, and he noticed that his sister was lying very still, and ho ran in and told his parents in the adjoining room. They went into the children’s room, and found the little girl lying in what they thought an unconscious condition. Dr Scott was called in immediately, but all ho could do was to pronounce life extinct, stating that in his opinion the little girl had been dead about three hours. The child, who at the time of her death was only 13 years old, had never enjoyed the best of health, being at times subject to headaches, accompanied by coldness of the hands and feet. She appeared to be all right on Monday night, and prior to going to bed she assisted her mother in some household work. She was of a bright and happy disposition, and was a great favorite with her schoolmates in the fifth standard at the Gisborne School. The flag at the school was flying at half-mast yesterday on account of the sad occurrence, which has naturally been a most severe shock to the deceased’s girl’s parents. Certificates that death was due to natural causes have been given by Drs. Scott and Schumacher, and consequently Mr. AV. A. Barton, S.M., District Coroner, has not deemed it necessary that an inquest be held. The funeral will leave Mr. Humphrey’s residence at 2.30 p.m. to-day.

SUICIDE AT WELLINGTON.

[Pun Runss Association.] WELLINGTON, Oct. 5

This afternoon a man named Maurice John Matthews • was found dead at Brooklyn. Dr. Couzens found Matthews quite dead, and stretched on the floor. A gun was in his left hand, and a stick about three feet long was in con toe t witli the trigger. The deceased had been bleeding profusely from the mouth; and there was blood about his throat. Matthews was about 54 years of age. He had been employed in Messrs Moorhouse and Hadfield’s office as accountant. Mrs. Matthews, who returned from a visit to Khandallah by the 12.20 train, went to her husband’s office, thinking to accompany him home to lunch. Finding him gone, she took a car to Brooklyn. Just as she -was going along the street she heard a gunshot. AVhen she entered the house she saw smoke and smelt gunpowder. In the bedroom she found her husband lying dead. He had not been in good health for some time.

KILLED BY A FALL OF EARTH. CHRISTCHURCH, October 5. A distressing fatality occured_m Mr. F Andrews’ quarry on the foumuer Road about midday to-day. An employee named Joseph Miller, with two other men, was working under a face, when a fall of earth and rock took place. The three men ran for their lives, and the other two got out of danger. Miller, however, either stumbled or was unable to get away in time, and was overwhelmed. He was completely buried with the exception of his head and face, and, although extricated very quickly, he was found to be dead. "The body was carried into a shed close by. The doctor found that the decased had a deep wound near his eye. His left leg was broken above the ankle, and his chest was badly bruised. The gaping wound on his face, where Miller had evidently been struck by the rock, would, in the doctor’s opinion, be sufficient to cause death. Miller was a married man, residing in Grafton Street, Linwood, and was 36 years of age.

BURNED TO DEATH. An inquest was held this afternoon touching the death of Thos. Paintou, who was burned to death in his tent late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning. "Evidence was given to the effect that the deceased was about 7 years of age, and that for the last 22 "years he had worked at an orchard on the Harewood Road. At night he slept in a tent in the orchard, about 100 yards from the house. On the night of the fatality he parted from an acquaintance at half-past ten. He was then perfectly sober, but- had a bottle of whisky in his possession. About an hour later he was heard talking and singing to himself, and he continued this up to about a quarter past two on Sunday morning. The coroner found that death was caused v by burns, but there was no evidence to show how the fire originated.