THE BOATING ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 252, 24 October 1893, Page 3

THE BOATING ACCIDENT.

VERDICT : •• ACCIDENTAL DEATH."

Yestebday afternoon the inquest, part of the proceedings of which we published, was: concluded, the jury returning a verdict of V accidental death."

Evidence subsequent to that which has already appeared was taken as follows :— Crawford Baillie, who was bereft of hia family by the lamentable accident, iden-, tided the three bodies in the morgue as those of Ann Baillie (his wife, 60 years of age), John Baillie (his son, 33), and Isabella McLean Herd (56 yeare). Witness described the object of the party, and said he made no objection. James Drummond Baillie was in charge. He (witness) thought the weather was perfectly suitable when they started. He apprehended no danger. About 11 a.m. hia son John asked him if he (witness) had seen the party, and pointed out) the boat which was lying in the open harbour. As the sail was down, and it wps thought the sail had either been lowered or the mast carried away, hia son proposed to go out in the dingy and see what they were doing. His son was nearly at the boat when witness saw him next. He then worked about it, and subsequently appeared to be trying to tow the boat inshore. Ah hour and a-halt later witness saw the dingy drifting away in the direction of Kauri Point. He thought the whole party was in the boat, and had let the dingy go in case it might encumber them in their efforts to get ashore. He felt no alarm and watched until dark, being under the impression that the party was waiting for the wind to calm down. He remained on the beach all nighb, the wind falling light after midnight. At the first streak of daylight he returned to watch, and thought at first that it had disappeared. As the light increased he saw the boat lying in the same position. He immediately proceeded to a neighbour's, Mr McCormick, and got him to go out in his boat with a brother, with oars, thinking perhaps that his family had lost their oars. The brothers went and examined the boat, and returned with the information that it contained nobody. He brought back a pair of trousers and a shirt which belonged to his (witness) son James. Witness said he then wenb to the train to see if any of the party had reached the Ponsonby side of the water, bub gained no tidings. He then rode into town and reported the aflair to the police. His son had often been oub boating with his brother and by himself. He wafe accustomed to the boat which caused the casualty. James Shaw Laurie, a brickmaker and settler, whose place the party had intended to visit, deposed to picking up the body of Mrs Ann Baillie on Saturday morning, within 5 yards of the spot whore the body of John Baillie was found. Ernest Daniels, a youth residing at the North Shore, deposed that while out pulling on Sunday morning, he noticed the body of Mrs Herd lying on the rocks somo 100 yards past Brick Bay. George Herd, husband of one of deceased, deposed that bis wife left hoaie on the 12th to visib Mr and Mrs Baillie. The boating excursion, as far as he knew, was her tirsb and last. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Drowning." The funeral of Mrs Crawford Baillie and John Baillie left the foot of Hoboon-street for the Waikomiti Cemetery ab 10 o'clock this morning, being largely attended. The funeral of Mrs Herd left her late residence, Belmont Terrace, Remuera, this afternoon at 2.30 o'clock, for Purewa Cemetery.