A SAD DROWNING ACCIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 84, 8 April 1905, Page 5

A SAD DROWNING ACCIDENT.

Between five and sis o'clock last evening -a very sad drowning* accident occurred at DeyoHport, when Mr George Harvey, the 26-year old son, of Mr John Harvey-,- builder, of Victom-road, lost his life through suffocation, caused by his falling into a tub. of. water. The | members of the faiuilv ■ were in the . habit of keeping a watch on the move- | uients of the deceased, who was subject to epileptic fits. Early yesterday evening he was missed, und a search being : made the young man was found in the j wash-house, lying in a tub of water, j Dr. Laing was eal/ed in at once, but all j efl'orts to restore animation proved j futile. It is supposed that the dee'eaa- j cd was under I Vie inilucnce of a fit when i he fell into the tub, whei-e he was j suffocated before he recovered, or could be rescued from his helpless position, j Mr T. Gresham. the city coroner, has arranged to hoJd an inquest at twelve o'clock to-day at the residence of the deceased. The coroner (Mr T. Gresham) held an inquiry to-day at the residence of de' ceased's parents, Victoria-road, Devonport, into the circumstances attending the death. The mothers evidence went to show that the deceased, who was 25 years of age at the time of his death, had been subject to Epileptic seizures since he was seven years of age. Yesterday afternoon, at about a quarter past five, the deceased passed through the room 1 in which she was at the time, and a minutes later she found the •deceased with his head and face immersed in.a tub of water in the washhouse. DrLaing was immediately sent for, arriving at the house at about half-past five. Dr. Laing said that wTien he arrived the deceased was lying on his hack, and exhibited all the appearances of a per*son who had met his death by drowning. The body was still warm and flaccid, aud he applied the usual means for producing artificial respiration, but without success. It was quite feasible that the deceased may have fallen into the iub while suffering from a seizure, although he could not speak definitely about that, as epilepsy leaves no evidence behind it. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased had met his death through misadventure, caused by falling-into a tub of' water while suffering from an epileptic seizure. i