Marshall Smith, 1889-3/5/1918.

DEATHS

SMITH. — On April 23, 1918, at Edendale (accidentally killed), Marshall Smith, dearly-beloved husband of Alice Smith, and youngest son of Matthew and Elizabeth Smith, of Ravensbourne; aged 27 years, Deeply mourned. Private interment. — A. S. Archer and Co., undertakers.  -Otago Daily Times, 26/4/1918.

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A distressing fatality occurred at the Sugar of Milk Company's works at Edendale on Tuesday morning. The circumstances indicate that a young man named Marshall Smith, assistant engineer, in the course of his duties, descended a well about 27ft deep to oil a pump, and in re-ascending missed his footing, and fell back on the crown of the pump, fracturing the base of his skull. The unfortunate man was found in the water at the bottom of the well about an hour after the accident must have occurred. Dr Baird, of Edendale, who was immediately summoned, could only pronounce life to be extinct. An inquest was held by Mr Cruickshanks, S.M., on Wednesday, when a verdict of accidental death was returned. The deceased was 27 years of age, leaves a wife and one child, and was the youngest son of Mr Matthew Smith, of Ravensbourne. He had been about two and a-half years at his employment at Edendale, and gave every promise in his profession, being highly thought of by his employers and by all among whom he worked.   -Otago Daily Times, 26/4/1918.

At the inquest on the body of Marshall Smith, the victim of the recent, fatality at the Sugar of Milk Factory, Edendale, Dr. Baird said that when he arrived deceased was lying on the office floor, two or three of the employees trying to resuscitate him, thinking he had been drowned. Examination showed that he was dead, the cause being apparently by striking a metal pump in his descent down the shaft. Before he finally reached the water he would be dead, as the skull was fractured. He must have fallen a considerable height, and he evidently lost his hand grip, tilted backwards, and fell down the shaft, striking the pump with his head. The evidence of employees and the foreman of the factory went to show that deceased was an active, dependable man of temperate habits, and for the last six months had gone up and down the ladder twice a day. There were four wells in the locality and this one was the safest of them all. There was only 2ft. 6in. of water in the well. A verdict of accidentally killed was returned.  -Mataura Ensign, 26/4/1918.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.