DEATHS
McDONALD. — At Invercargill, on Sunday, February 15, 1920 (the result of an accident), Jane Pretoria, dearly beloved daughter of David and the late Jane McDonald (late of Edendale); aged 19 years. The funeral will leave the Edendale Railway Station on Tuesday, 17th inst., at 2 p.m., for the Edendale Cemetery. Friends please accept this (the only) intimation. — J. Fraser & Co., Undertakers. -Southland Times, 16/2/1920.
INQUEST
WEST PLAINS FATALITY.
On Saturday morning the Coroner, Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., held an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jane Pretoria McDonald, who died in the Southland Hospital from injuries received from a bullet wound. Senior-Sergeant Eccles appeared for the police and Mr E. Russell watched the proceedings on behalf of Mr J. Cusack.
Mr P. A. Cusack said that the deceased was employed by him as a domestic. On February 15 he came into Invercargill with his wife leaving deceased in the house in charge of the baby. His brother Nicholas was working outside on the farm. About 1.45 p.m. he received word that the deceased had been shot, and on his way home met Dr Ewart and Nurse Grieve bringing deceased to the Hospital. The rifle was his property, being usually kept in the pantry, and he had never known the deceased to ask about it or inquire how to use it. On his return he examined the pantry and found that an old pot about a foot high had been pulled out apparently to make a step, and there was a mark on the outer edge of the lid which pointed to the fact that it had been stood upon by someone who had slipped. When the gun was left standing in the pantry it was not loaded.
Dr D. M. Wilson, superintendent of the Southland Hospital, gave evidence to the effect that the deceased was admitted to the Hospital on February 14. She was in a state of collapse, suffering from shock, evidently from internal haemorrhage. When asked about the accident she replied that she had intended going out to shoot rabbits, and that when handling the rifle it had gone off. When medically examined a small wound was found in the upper part of the abdomen, and from the condition of the wound, it would, appear, that the rifle had been close to her when discharged. She was evidently suffering from internal haemorrhage and he operated with the object of stopping the flow of blood and succeeded. Deceased then rallied for a while, but sank again and died at 4 a.m. on February 15. The direction of the bullet was downwards showing that the rifle was pointing at an angle of 45 degrees from the roof
N. J. Cusack, farm labourer working for his brother, when called, stated that in the early morning of February 14 he took out the rifle (produced) to shoot a rabbit in the garden. He loaded three cartridges and fired one shot. Afterwards he brought the rifle into the house with the hammer at “safe,” and left it along the top shelf in the pantry. The rifle then had two cartridges in it. Deceased was in the kitchen when he put the rifle away. After breakfast he went out to work leaving the rifle loaded in the position mentioned. On returning at dinner time he searched for the deceased and when he approached her room she called out “I’m very bad.” In answer to a question deceased said she was shot in the stomach. “I went into her room,” he continued, "and found her lying on her back in bed. She was in great pain.” When asked how it happened deceased said, “I don't’know” and when he said that he should not have left the rifle loaded she replied “You are not to blame, I should never have taken it down, it is my own fault.” He then made arrangements with a neighbour to get deceased to hospital and when Dr Ewart arrived he ordered her removal to the Hospital. He examined the pantry and found the pot as stated by his brother. He was of the opinion that while she was trying to get the rifle down the hammer must have caught on something that discharged the rifle while it was pointed at the deceased.
David McDonald, father of the deceased, gave evidence that she had some experience with rifles having used her brother’s but she knew that he did not approve of her using them.
The Coroner returned the verdict that the deceased was accidentally shot while handling a .22 calibre rifle at West Plains on February 14. -Southland Times, 23/2/1920,
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