Muswellbrook Chronicle (NSW : 1898 - 1955), Wednesday 6 January 1915, page 2


FATAL RIFLE ACCIDENT..

Whilst three men employed 0n the Muswellbrook-Denman works, named Matthews, Roberts and Perkins, were shooting rabbits with rifles near the

two-mile camp, on Wednesday evening last, the rifle of Roberts went off accidentally and Matthews was shot in the back. The wounded man was promptly conveyed to Dr. May's Surgery, thence to the Hospital, where

he died on the same night. The district

Coroner (Mr Q, H. Tindale) held an inquest on the occurrence at the Court House on Thursday evening when the following particulars were elicited and a finding of accidental death recorded.

Francis Hollingsworth May deposed: I am a duly qualified medical practictioner and Government Medical Officer; know the subject of this inquest James Matthews; on Wednesday afternoon 30th inst, about 5 o'clock I was summoned to my surgery to see a man said to have been shot; he was lying on my surgery couch face downwards, with a bullet wound in his back which was not clean; he seemed seriously injured, and I advised

his removal to the hospital at once, where I followed and examined

him more carefully; he complained of much pain in his lower limbs and had partially lost the movement of both legs, both reflexes being absent; his

pulse was feeble; he was somewhat blanched in appearance; on probing the wound which was 2 inches from the spinal column, one could not detect the whole course of the bullet or feel it as he was in great pain and in such a dangerous condition; there was no sign of the bullet exit;

I administered restoratives and strychnine

and advised him to be quiet

for a time and I would see him

again and when better have him X

rayed; about two hours afterwards

I was summoned to the hospital, having left

word to send for me if his

condition altered; upon my arrival formed

the opinion that he was past human aid and practically dying; he died shortly afterwards; I am of the opinion that the track of the bullet severed a blood vessel, and he died from internal hemorrhage and that the bullet damaged his spine. I do not think he had a possible chance from when he was first shot.

By Sergeant Donnelly: The bullet produced, a 22 long, would make a

wound similar to the one I saw; saw

the coat and shirt produced with hole

through each, which in my opinion could be caused by bullet produced and correspond with the position of the wound of deceased; the wound was 2 inches away from the spine;

I am of the opinion the shot was fired

practically at right angles from behind;

could not say who was present

when I saw the patient first; a man who accompanied the deceased said he had been accidentally shot, and the deceased who could talk did not contradict him; I did not see or smell any trace of drink on either the man who was shot, or the man who was with him.

Senior Sergeant Donnelly deposed: I

am senior sergeant of police stationed at Muswellbrook; on the 30th instant about 6 p.m. a young man named Geoffrey James Roberts, now present in court, came to the police station and told me that Dr .May had

sent him to inform me he had

accidently shot James Matthews at the 2 mile camp about 4 o'clock that evening I asked him was there any immediate danger. and (he said no, but

he had lost the use of his limbs; I

said to him I will take a statement of facts down in writing from you,

in case Matthews should die, he

said alright; I produce the statement marked exhibit A; I then said to him "Where is the rifle you had?" he replied that they each had a rifle and threw them down just where the accident occurred on the back of the river; he said he was going out again and would bring the rifle up; I asked him what sort of cartridge he was shooting with; he replied 22 long and that he had a job to put the first one in; I asked who was with him, and he said a man named Harry Perkins; I told him tot get Perkins to come with him and bring his rifle also; at 8 o'clock, both were waiting outside my gate; Roberts handed me the rifle produced, and the empty shells in it now; he said he did not hear, it and did not know how it went off; the bullets produced

were handed to me by Constable Murphy, all 22s; I then went down to

2 two mile camp with Perkins and went to a tent occupied by the deceased, and obtained .the shirt and coat produced in court; referred to by Dr May, and which a. man named Charles Olsen identified as those he had

taken off deceased at the hospital;

I also produce the rifle which Perkins

handed to me and the one used

by the deceased on the occasion that he was shot; Roberts seemed very depressed and upset; and owing to that I took certain action; there was no sign of drink on Roberts or Perkins; I saw the deceased at 8 o'clock

and was with the doctor when he

probed the wound and saw no other marks of violence on the body.

Ellen Ethel Matthews deposed: I am a married woman and reside at the 2mile camp, near Muswellbrook; with my late husband, the subject of this inquest, kept a boarding house there; I last saw my husband alive on Tuesday, and he was in good health; I have been up to the hospital;; saw. the body and identified it as the body of my late husband; know Roberts now present in court; and he and my husband were on the best of terms; they never had a quarrel; my husband's age was 31 years and he was la fettler; his life was not insured and he did not own any property; he did not make a will; Roberts and my husband went rabbit shooting a few times before; my husband did not have a rifle; he was a native of Barraba.

Charles Olsen deposed: I am a

navvy employed on the railway construction works, and resiide at the 2 mile camp near Muswellbrook; remember the 30th instant; know Matthews the subject of this inquiry and saw him about 4 p.m.; I was sitting in the camp when Roberts came and asked ine to give him a .hand with the horse; I said yes, what's the matter; he said, Jim Matthews was shot; we got the horse and went to a gate near where the accident occurred; I saw Matthews lying on the ground; he did not speak to me; I assisted to lift him Into the sulky and brought him in to Dr. May, and then went to the hospital with him; I assisted to take deceased's clothes off, and took them back to his camp, and handed them to Senior Sergeant Donelly at 11 p.m. last night; Roberts was with me all the time; he seemed anxious to do what he could for deceased; did not hear deceased say how he was shot; saw them out shooting together before; they were always good friends; have known Roberts about six weeks and he is of a very quiet disposition.

Harry Perkins deposed: I am a labourer employed on the construction works and reside at the 2 mile camp, near Muswellbrook; know the subject of this Inquiry; deceased, Roberts and myself were out shooting yesterday about 4 p.m.; we each

had pea rifles with us, and the rifles produced are the ones we had; Roberts had the repeating rifle; we were 100 yards away from the camp and Roberts had the first shot at a rabbit on the side of the river soon after we started I heard a report and thinking Roberts had shot a rabbit; I looked ahead and saw Matthews fall down; he said "I am shot." We both threw! down our rifles and picked him up and carried him to the gate; Roberts and I went after the pony and sulky while Powers was looking after Matthews; when we picked Matthews up, Roberts said, "Who shot him?" I replied "Your gun went off!"; I did not notice in what position Roberts was carrying his gun; know that Roberts and Matthews were very friendly; had been out shooting before with Roberts.

To the Coroner: They had no intoxicating drink.

To the Sergeant: There was no

cartridge in my gun as I was putting my hand into my pocket to get one; from where Roberts was standing if the gun went off the bullet would make a wound in deceased's

back.

Alfred Powers deposed: I am a railway labourer and reside at the 2 mile camp, near Muswellbrook; remember yesterday and know deceased subject of this inquiry; was talking to deceased between four and five; and he was in a wounded condition; a small hole was in the small of the back like a pea rifle bullet hole; I was asked by Roberts to look after Matthews; he said "Jim's shot'' and you mind him while I get the horse and sulky; I had accommodation with Matthews; I asked "How did. this happen Jim," he said little George (meaning Roberts was holding his rifle, and it went off and shot me; asked him if he was jn front or behind Roberts; he said he was in front Matthews said that Robert's gun had gone off accidentally; and after that his trouble seemed to be about his wife and family; saw each of them go out shooting with a pea rifle 10 minutes before; know Roberts well, and Matthews and they were great friends, and had no quarrels and had been out shooting before; Roberts is a very decent chap; when deceased told him about the accident he was perfectly sensible.

Geoffrey James Roberts deposed : I am a railway labourer residing at at the 2 mile camp near Muswellbrook about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon,

(Wednesday) Matthews, Perkins and myself went out shooting rabbits with pea lifles; I fired one shot, and walked on a bit further and I heard a report; deceased turned round and said : "I'm shot," I dropped my gun and ran to him and picked him up; Perkins and I carried him to a gate; then asked a man named Powers if he would look after him while I went after the pony and sulky; I came in the sulky and took Matthew into Dr May's surgery; Dr May examined him there and told me to take him up to the hospital; I did so, and helped to undress deceased; the doctor examined him and told me that I had better send for his relatives as soon as I could; previous to this he asked me who shot Matthews; I said I did accidentally; he then said have you been to the police; I said no; he advised me to go; I went and saw the sergeant and .told him all about the case; he said if I did not mind he would take a statement; I said alright; he asked me did I think deceassed was going to die; I said no I did not think so, although he had lost the use of his legs; he then asked me where the gun was I had and if there was any body else with me; I told him there was a man named Harry Perkins with me, and that the gun was out where the accident happened; I said I would bring the gun in; he asked me if Perkins had a gun, and I replied yes; he told me to tell Perkins to bring his gun in also; we did so and arrived here at 8 o'clock; the rifle produced is the one I used; the bullet used was a 22 extra long; deceased and I had been out shooting several times before, and we were the best .of friends; did not know what gun went off when Matthews fell; Perkins told me it must have been my gun, because his had no cartridges in; I did not examine the rifle till I went back at 7 o'clock after I had been to the hospital; I found an empty shell in the rifle; and I have no doubt that I accidentally shot him; I was carrying the rifle with the butt under my arm; I was about right angles in direction from Matthews and the wound could have been made by the rifle; none of us had any drink, we were perfectly sober; prior .to the accident I had trouble with the bullets as they were rather long and hard to get in; the bullet produced is the same class as the one I was using

The statement tendered by Roberts was the same in every particular as

his evidence.

The Coroner's verdict was as follows:

I find that the said James Matthews at Muswellbbrook, in the Hospital, in the Police Diotrict of Muswellbrook, in the State of New South Wales, died from the effects of a pea rifle bullet wound in the back accidentally inflicted on him on the 30th December 1914, at the two mile camp, near Muswellbrook, in the said State, while rabbit shooting, by one Geoffrey James Roberts.