Maitland Weekly Mercury (NSW : 1894 - 1931), Saturday 9 January 1915, page 11


shooting fatality at muswellbrook; ? A ? ~

THE INQUEST.

(From pur Representative) .

MUSWELLBROOK, Friday.

' On Wednesday evening last a young man named James Matthews was accidentally shot at the two-mile railway camp near Muswellbrook. He was taiken to' the Muswell'brook Hospital for treatment, and on the following day succumbed to the effects of the iniurv received. The District Coro

ner (Mr. C. J-I. Tindale), held an inquest ?in the court house on Thursday evening, ?when the following particulars o[ the occurrence were elicited1. Francis Hollingsworth 'May, Government ?Medical Officer, deposed that on Wednesday afternoon he was summoned to his surgery to 'see a man said to have been shot. He seemed seriously injured, and witness advised his removal to the hospital, where he

examined him careniuy. lie ?compnuneu or much pain in his lower limbs, and had lost the sensation of feeling in them. His pulse was feeble, and he was 'blanched in appear-ance. On probing the wound, which was two inches from the spine, he could not detect the course of the bullet, or feel it, as he was in such pain, and in a dangerous condition. Administered restoratives, and advised him to be quiet. A'bout two hours afterwards witness was summoned to the

hospital, and found the man to be dyi'. . and he died shortly afterwards. Was of the opinion that the bullet in its course severed- a blood vessel, that the man died from internal hemorrhage; and that tho ?bullet had also injured his spine. Did not thiulk he had a possible chance of living from-: the time he was shot. Senior-sergeant Donnelly deposed that ii'bout 6 p.m. on the 30th instant, a young man named Geoffrey Roberts came to the

police-station and told him he had been sent' by Dr. May and that he had accidentally-'.shot James Matthews .at the two-mile camp-about 4 o'clock that afternoon. Went io tWlwc-mile camp and obtained the riile, cartridges and other 'articles 'produced . Robert's seemed depressed, and witness therefor took certain action. There ' was no i-.gn of drink on Roberts or n companion named Perkins, who was also present. Saw !h-» ..(liif'-iwanfl' with tho doctor tho sanio liicht

Mid there were.no further marks of violence ou his body than tho bullet wound. - Ellen Matthews,' wife of the deceased, identifier! the body as that of her late husband, v.-honi * slio last saw alive on Tuesday U'tern'oon in good health. She know Roberts, lie and her husband were tho best of friendsilor husband's age was 31, and his life was l.or insured. He was a native of Barraba. lloberts and1 her husband had previously been cut shooting. Charles Olsen, f'ettler, deposed to having taken tlio deceased to Dr.' Mays, after the ac

i-iaent. Harry Perkins, labourer, deposed that Roberts and himself had gone out- shooting, and vhen 100 -yards from tho camp the rormer had a shot'at a rabbit. Witness looked ahead nnd saw Matthews fall. down, saying. 'I'm shot.' Witness put the rifle down and pickid him up. Neither .Roberts or himself had uiry intoxicating drink. Geoffrey James Roberts deposed that ho was ii railway labourer, residing at two-mile wiran. noav Muswellbrook. About '4 o'clock

on Wednesday afternoon Matthews, Perkins, and himself were out shooting rabbits with pea-rifles. Witness fired one shot, walked a hit further, on, and heard a report. Matthews turned round and said 'I'm shot.'1 Witness ran to him after dropping Ins gun, and with 1'erkins -carried him to the gate. They asked n man named Powers to look after him while witness went to, get a pony tind sulky. Did' not know what gun had gone off when Matthews fell, but Perkins pointed oiit that it must, .have been his {witness's) gun, because his had no cartridge in it. Did not examine the rifle- until ho went back from the' hospital, after deceased had been t»ken there, ?ind found 'an empty shell in the riile. Had no doubt but that he had accidentally shot deceased. He was carrying the rifle down with the butt under his arm. Tho finding ,of tho coroner was 'hat James Matthews' hud died at tho Muswe'ilbrook' Hospital on the 30th instant from the effects of a i-irlo bullet wound, accidentally inflicted upon him at the two-mile camp by one Oeoffroy .lames Roberts,