George Miller, 1850-23/3/1870

INQUEST.

At the Prince Alfred Hotel, Great King street, this afternoon, Mr Hocken, City Coroner, and a jury, held an inquiry touching the death of George Miller, reported in our last night’s issue. The following evidence was given; 

Alexander Cowie stated; I know the deceased, who was about 18 or 19 years of age; he was a printer, and worked at Ferguson and Mitchell’s. The deceased, myself, and five others agreed to go kaka shooting on Tuesday evening. We left town at about eleven o’clock, reaching a hut on Pine Hill about two o’clock the next morning. We waited until daylight, and then agreed to separate in parties of two, with the exception of one who was to remain in the hut. Before this they had their guns loaded, with the exception of mine. At the time the accident happened, three of us were with deceased. He was standing, leaning on his gun, with the butt on the ground. The hammer was down on the cap. I did not think it could have been at half-cock, or I would have noticed it. Suddenly I saw a flash, the gun went off, the contents, as I thought, lodging in his face. He fell immediately. As I fan forward to his assistance, the blood spurted from his mouth. I called on some of the others to get water; and we bathed his face. He kicked; but appeared to be quite insensible. Noticing that his face became discolored, I and another determined to start for town for medical assistant. On our way down, we called up a German settler, and informed him of the accident. We called on Dr Burns, and informed deceased’s father of the accident. The gun was loaded about ten minutes before the accident. Deceased was well acquainted with the use of the gun, he being a volunteer. He was in the habit of leaning over the muzzle of his gun. [The gun was here produced, and it was explained, for a small gun the spring of the hammer was unusually strong.] Deceased’s foot was not against the trigger. He was standing a short distance from a fire we lighted. I don’t think there was any loose powder about, he died just as we left for town. There was no “larking” going on when the accident happened. 

Murdoch Macgregor stated that the deceased always carried the gun with the hammer down; he had used the gun for the last two years. Witness heard the report of the gun, and saw the deceased stumble at almost the same time. The hammer was turned towards the deceased, and witness believed the cause of the gun going off was simply pressure on the cap. None of the party drank other than tea and coffee during the time they were out. 

Dr Burns stated that, from the position of the wound, he would say that the deceased’s face inclined much forward. He thought some of the shots entered the brain. 

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death.''  -Evening Star, 24/3/1870.

FUNERAL NOTICE. 

MR GEORGE MILLER respectfully invites the Friends of his late son to follow his remains to the Cemetery, the Funeral to move from the Prince Alfred Hotel, Great King street, to-morrow (Sunday), at 3 o'clock.

J. R. SPICER, Undertaker, George street, near Red House.   -Otago Daily Times, 26/3/1870.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.