MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.
A MAN SHOT.
The following is the evidence taken at the Coroner's inquest, held on the body of Mr. Joseph Spink, who was accidentally shot at the Slaughter-house, Stoke, on Wednesday last. The inquest was held at the Turf Hotel, Stoke, yesterday evening: —
James Pratt, butcher, sworn, said: The body is that of Joseph Spink, butcher, lately in the employment of Mr. Trask. Yesterday afternoon, between three and four o'clock I went with him and a boy named Cotton, to Mr. Trask's place at Stoke. He wanted to kill a cow that was running with two of Mr. Doidge's. The boy (Cotton) got the pony out of the cart, and drove the cows into the stockyard. We then drove them into the inner pen, and as the gates were weak, and had to be kept shut by posts propping them, I shut the outer gates. While I was doing so, Spink loaded a rifle (the one produced), and put it behind the door, in the lane at the side of the slaughter-house. One of Mr. Doidge's cows got into the slaughter-house instead of the one we intended should. As the other cows would not go into the slaughter-house. I went round to the door into the lane by which the gate was, and opening it let the cow out. I then shut the door. The cow could not well get past me, and was prevented going in the other direction by a dog that I had tied to the fence opposite the slaughter-house door. Spink then called to me to be quick and hand him something to shut the other door with; I ran round the corner of the house and handed him a rail, and in trying to shut the two halves of the door he dropped it. I put my hand through the fence and pushed one half of the door to. He then jumped off the fence and went as if to push the other half of the door, when he put his hands up (I heard the report of a gun), and he said, "Jim, I'm shot through the heart," and fell down on his back. I called for Mr. Doidge and his son, who were working near. Cotton, during this time, was sitting on the fence opposite where Spink sat, and was whipping the cows to drive them into the slaughter-house. After bringing the body to the Turf Hotel I went to the place again, and my attention was called to the door near which the gun had been placed by Mr. Doidge, who pointed out to me that the ball had gone through the door-post, a part of the door, and the half-door that I had shut. I saw fresh splinters on the ground beyond the spot where Spink fell. I cannot tell what caused the gun to go off, but think it must have been made to do so either by the cow knocking against it, or the cows in the house shaking the walls, and thereby causing the gun to fall. The lock of the gun is faulty; I am not able to set it either at full or half-cock. The lock being weak the rifle would go off much easier accidentally than one with a good lock.
Charles Cotton, in the employment of Mr. Trask, butcher, sworn: I was with Mr. Pratt and Joseph Spink yesterday afternoon. We were going to kill a cow. The cow we wanted to kill would not go into the slaughter-house, as one had gone into it that was its master. Mr. Pratt let the cow out of the slaughter-house at the door at the end leading into the land. The other cows then went in. Mr. Pratt handed J. Spinks a rail to close the door leading into the pen, when he dropped it. I said I would get down and close the door, but Spink said I could do it better from the place I was sitting on the fence. He got down. I saw a piece of wood fly from the door, and he fell. He said, "Oh, my God! I am shot through the heart, Jim." The ball had knocked a piece off the scantling or door-post, and the door leading into the lane, and then gone through one-half of the door leading into the pen before striking Spink. I heard Spink loading the rifle, but did not see it at the time. The hammer will not stand at half or full cock, unless they pull out the trigger or do something to it below. After I saw he was dead I went off for Trask and Hargreaves, who were shooting rabbits. Pratt and Doidge brought the body down to the Turf Hotel. The rifle produced is the one I spoke of.
A verdict in accordance with the evidence was returned by the jury. -Colonist, 17/6/1870.
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