A SERIOUS accident happened at the Maitai Butts this morning, when two members of the H Battery named Harry Kelly and Noble were practising, and Frederick Kelly, a pupil at the Nelson College, and brother of the former was marking. Noble had just fired and got up off the ground, and was taking the cartridge from his rifle, when, simultaneously with Kelly, who had been taking aim, pulling the trigger, he looked up and saw the younger Kelly in front of the small target, at which they were firing. The marker suddenly stopped, then ran before the other target, which is about 10 yards from the one at which I they were firing, and held his right arm with his left hand, and then for the first time they saw that the danger board was run out. The two at once ran up to the butts and found that young Kelly was shot through the arm a few inches above the wrist and that the blood was streaming from the wound. This they tied up tightly with a handkerchief, and then came without delay to town taking the injured lad to Dr Leggatt who, on examination, found that both the bones were broken by the bullet. The wound was attended to and the young man is suffering as little pain and inconvenience as might be expected from such a wound. It appears that the danger board has slightly dropped from its original position and is now not easily discerned from the firing places, which accounts for its not being seen on this occasion. Of course this will now be remedied, but surely where Volunteers are constantly practising some responsible person ought to be employed to see that everything is in good order, especially the danger signals, upon the proper working of which the safety of life and limb depends. Another question that naturally arises out of this accident is whether Volunteers should be permitted to practise at the butts whenever they please, and in the absence of an officer. It is a fortunate thing that the mishap of this morning resulted only in a broken arm, though that is bad enough, but it may perhaps lead to steps being taken to provide greater security in future. -Nelson Evening Mail, 18/3/1884.
The Accident at the Rifle Range. — We learnt with regret on Wednesday night that the condition of the youth Frederick Kelly, who was shot through the arm at the Maitai Butts on Tuesday morning last, was not at all satisfactory, and yesterday gangrene set it, and it became necessary to amputate the arm. The poor lad had been removed to the hospital that he might obtain the closest attention, and after the operation had been performed he remained in a very low state, but it was hoped that by this morning an improvement would take place. -Colonist, 21/3/1884.
INQUEST.
On Saturday afternoon at three o'clock an inquest was. held at the. Hospital, on the body of the late John Frederick Kelly, before Dr Duff, acting Coroner, and the following Jurors: — Henry Baigent (foreman), H. T. Hall, George Theik, Joseph Gilbertson, Henry Barnett, Andrew Brown, L. H. Chittenden. J. R. Sigley, John Lock, James Nicholson, John Brooker, and A. D. Jones.
After the Jury had viewed the body, the following evidence was taken: —
James Noble, printer, sworn, deposed: On Tuesday morning, the 18th instant, I went with Harry and Frederick Kelly for private rifle practice. We reached the Matai butts at five minutes past six o'clock. Frederick Kelly undertook to mark, and Harry Kelly and myself went out to the 300 yards range. When I got there I saw the danger board drawn in by Frederick Kelly. We fired three shots each alternately. Frederick Kelly was alone at the marking place. At Harry Kelly's fourth shot deceased came from out of the butts in front of the target. Just as Harry Kelly had pulled the trigger, I saw Frederick Kelly in that position, when he jumped behind the butts, and came out again in front of the large target. There are two targets, and we were firing at the small one. We ran towards Frederick Kelly as fast as we could, and I reached him first. He was holding his wrist, and I got out my handkerchief, and passed it once tightly round the wound. When Harry Kelly came up, he exclaimed, "It's all up with you Fred." We then bound the handkerchief more tightly round the wound. Harry Kelly told me to take his brother down as quickly as possible to the doctor's, while he went to fetch our rifles, and I did so. We first went to Dr Hudson's, but he was from home. Harry Kelly caught us up there. We then proceeded to Dr Sealy's. He was out; but he was quickly brought from Mrs Hargreaves, who lives at the opposite side of the street. Dr Sealy removed the handkerchief from the wound, and put a bandage on. He told us that we had better take Frederick Kelly to the Hospital. Harry Kelly asked if we could not get another doctor nearer, and Dr Sealy mentioned Dr Leggatt. We went there, and I left the Kellys and proceeded home with the guns.
By the Foreman: I did not notice whether the danger board was out before the shot was fired, but afterwards I saw it was. I did not at that time know of any regulations regarding firing, neither had I seen any book of regulations.
By a Juryman: The target we were firing at was very dirty that morning. It was not easy to distinguish the danger board.
By the Coroner: There was a danger flag, and Frederick Kelly used it to signal the misses.
By a Juryman: I do not know whether the board or the flag was mostly used by markers. It was the first time I had been there with company. Frederick Kelly knew how to use the danger signals, as he had been acting as marker before.
Robert Henry Kelly, engineer's apprentice, sworn, deposed: Deceased was my brother. On Tuesday morning I went out for private rifle practice along with my brother and James Noble. My brother said that he would mark for us. I had fired four shots and Noble three when the accident occurred. We were firing alternately. The shots were properly marked, and Noble's third shot was signalled as a miss. I prepared to fire my fourth shot, and as I had been missing I took a long, steady aim. Just as I pulled the trigger my brother came suddenly in front of the bull's eye. I saw him spring back into the butts, and he appeared again on the opposite side, in front of the big target. We threw down our guns, and ran up to him as hard as we could. Noble got to my brother first, and he wrapped up my brother's right arm. We. afterwards bound the handkerchief tighter, and I told them to go quickly to the doctor's. I went back for our carbines. I could not see the danger board clearly. The target would not have done for a match, it was dirty. Anyone lying down and taking aim at the bull's-eye could not see the danger board. My brother told me that he had put out the danger board, but I did not see it. Charles Johansen told me that he was at the butts on a certain day along with others. Johansen was called on to fire in his turn. He asked those standing by if it was all rights and they answered yes. Johansen fired, and just at that moment he saw a man in front of the target, and saw him leap back to get out of the road. Just as Johansen fired some one sung out that the danger board was out. The splash of the lead from the bullet Johansen fired hit the man in the side. Johansen told me this since the accident to my brother to show that the danger board was not easily seen. As far as I know my brother was competent to act as marker. He had just been elected a corporal in the College Cadets. He was seventeen years of age. He was a good shot.
Horace Wimsett, blacksmith, sworn, deposed: I am a sergeant in the H Battery of New Zealand Artillery. On the morning of the 18th instant, I was called upon at twenty to six o'clock by Charles Johansen, a companion, and a gunner in the H Battery, to proceed to the Maitai range for private practice. He left me, and he said he would go and get the targets ready. I followed him some ten minutes later. On nearing the Hardy street bridge I heard shots being fired rather quickly, and when I was about-half way between Mr Huddlestone's corner and the Maitai butts I met Noble leading Frederick Kelly. I saw that Kelly's arm was bound up, and I asked what had been the matter, when I was told by Noble that some fellow had shot Kelly in the arm. I proceeded to the butts to learn who it was. /There I met Charles Johansen, who told me just as he was nearing the 200 yards range he saw Harry Kelly and Noble running very fast. He thought that they were racing, until one of them exclaimed "My God, he is shot," When I arrived at the butts, I found the danger board out, and I saw blood upon the ground, which I supposed came from the wound in F. Kelly's arm. I then examined the target along with Johansen, but we could not see any shots upon it. I noticed that the danger flag was lying in the butts at the time. The danger board was not out to its full extent. On the evening of the 18th instant, I went to Mr Kelly's house in Waimea street, and saw Frederick Kelly, and I asked him how the accident happened. He told me that his brother Harry and Noble had been missing the target to the left; that he pushed out the danger board and went out, and stood in front of the large target.. He then said he thought they would see him, and then he proceeded across to the small target to show them with his hand where they were missing. While in the act of doing so, he noticed the flash from a gun, and started to run in the butts, when the ball struck him in the arm.
By the Foreman: The danger board works in a slide. It droops, and in my opinion is too low. The danger flag has been in general use since December. Anyone taking aim at the bull's-eye from the 300 yards range in a recumbent position could not see the danger board. To any one standing erect the board would be quite visible. If Frederick Kelly had used the danger flag the accident would not have happened.
Major Pitt, who was in attendance, explained to the Jury the Regulations that existed for firing. All firing for Government and other prizes was superintended by an officer of the Staff; and private practice should not take place according to the Regulations (Nos. 208 and 209) without a commissioned or non-commissioned officer being present. The danger board had, since the accident, been ordered to be done away with, and, the danger flag was only to be used in the future. The officers had also been instructed by him to see that Regulations 208 and 209 were strictly put in force in the future. Since he had been in command of the Volunteers a couple of accidents had occurred, and both times it had been through neglect, in the danger-flag not being used.
Dr A. J. Leggatt, sworn, deposed: I am a legally qualified and registered practitioner residing, in Nelson. On Tuesday morning I was called to see the deceased at my surgery. He had his right wrist tightly bandaged, and on undoing the bandage, I found a gun shot wound, the bullet having passed right through the arm, breaking both bones in its course. There was a good deal of oozing, but no large artery was bleeding. I bandaged up the wound, and sent him home. I saw him again in the course of the day, and the following morning. I did not open the bandage until the afternoon of Wednesday. The wound then looked perfectly healthy, although there was still oozing. I bandaged it up again, and made a suggestion that his father should come and see me about deceased's removal to the Hospital, as I did not think the place he was living in was a suitable one for the treatment of gunshot wounds. On the following morning about nine o'clock, a little girl came to my house and asked me to go and see the deceased as he was in pain. I went shortly afterwards, and found his arm in a state of mortification for six inches above the bandage. I immediately ordered his removal to the Hospital, where on a consultation with Dr Boor it was decided to remove his arm, .which was accordingly done above the elbow. I saw the deceased the last time about an hour after the operation.
Dr Boor, Resident Surgeon at the Nelson Hospital, sworn, deposed: Frederick Kelly was brought to the Hospital on Thursday morning last by order of Dr Leggatt. He was suffering from a gunshot wound in the right arm. The arm itself was cold, pulseless, green, and in a state of mortification, which was extending up towards the shoulder, and the odour therefrom was very offensive. If the arm had been allowed to remain, I believe that death would have resulted within twelve hours. Kellys pulse was quick and weak, and his features were very pallid. I formed an opinion that immediate amputation of the arm was necessary, and with this Dr Leggatt concurred. I performed the operation at half-past two on Thursday afternoon, Dr Leggatt assisting. It was performed without much loss of blood. Kelly soon rallied from the effects of the chloroform; and became quite sensible, but he never rallied from the shock of the operation. He continued more or less sensible during Thursday night, his father remaining with him all night. I saw him at half-past two on Friday morning, and again at half past eight, and he was then sinking fast. He died at 9 o'clock. The cause of death was shock after amputation for injuries caused by a gunshot wound.
The Jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and expressed themselves satisfied with the explanation that Major Pitt had given. -Colonist, 24/3/1884.
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