A young lad named Charles Ernest Towsey was killed yesterday by the discharge of a small rifle, with which he had intended to go oat rabbit shooting. He appears to have put away the rifle loaded, and in taking down his clothes it is supposed it fell and exploded, the bullet entering his right eye. He was a High School pupil, and his father resides in Melbourne. -Ashburton Guardian 23/6/1887.
DEATHS
On the 22nd June, at Arthur street, Dunedin, by accidental discharge of gun, Charles Ernest Towsey, aged 16 years. -ODT, 23/6/1887.
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Charles Ernest Towsey, a High School boy, 16 years of age, was accidentally killed yesterday morning at his own residence, at the corner of Duncan and Russell streets. It appears that he intended recently to go rabbit-shooting, but being debarred by the weather from carrying out his intention, he must have replaced a pearifle in its usual position the top of some clothes-pegs in his bedroom without withdrawing the cartridge. Yesterday morning, by some means that can only be conjectured — possibly by the act of the boy's reaching down his own clothes — the rifle was removed from the pegs, fell, and exploded, causing the death of the deceased. The explosion does not appear to have been heard by the inmates of the house, but the alarm was given by the fall of the deceased. Among the distressing circumstances of the calamity is the fact that the deceased's father resides in Melbourne, and that the deceased himself had but recently come to Dunedin and to the High School.
THE INQUEST.
An inquiry into the circumstances, attending the death of the deceased was held by Mr E. H. Carew, district coroner, yesterday afternoon.
James Mills, manager of the U.S.S. Company; stated that the deceased arrived in New Zealand within the last few months. He last saw him alive on Tuesday night. He did not notice any difference in his manner. He was always a cheerful, bright boy. He had been in the habit of using a gun, and appeared to be a boy who could be trusted with one. When witness went to the house yesterday morning he found the deceased lying on his bed, with a wound in his right eye. Dr Colquhoun examined him and pronounced him to be dead. The deceased kept his rifle on the top of some clothes-pegs in his bedroom. Witness thought it was probable that he was taking his clothes off the pegs. He may have taken the rifle in his hand for a moment and have fallen with it and caused it to explode. Witness had no reason to believe that the deceased had any intention of shooting himself.
Dr Colquhoun stated that he examined the body of the deceased, who was lying in bed dead. The body was warm and death had occurred quite recently. There was a wound in the right eyelid and the eyeball was completely destroyed. On passing a probe into the wound he found that the upper part of the orbit was broken through. The wound was such as might have been caused from the bullet of a pea-rifle like that produced. He had no doubt but that the wound had been caused by some projectile like a bullet.
Mary Isabel Towsey stated that she called the deceased, who was her brother, about 8 o'clock in the morning. About 10 minutes afterwards she heard a noise as of someone falling. She subsequently went into the room of the deceased, and saw him lying on the floor near the bedpost, with a rifle by his side. She informed her mother of the fact, and afterwards went for Mr Mills, who came to the house.
The Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." -Otago Daily Times, 23/6/1887.
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