REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11689, 16 September 1903, Page 8

REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

DISCOVERY OF THE BODY.

DISCOVERY OF HIS BODY,

All doubt as to the fate of the Rev. J. Marshall has been set at rest. Yesterday, during lunch hour, the employees of Mr Wood’s tannery at Heathcote discovered a body in the Heathcote river. On being brought ashore it was found that the body was clad in clerical garb, and on the watch chain was a tennis championship medal bearing the name of the missing clergyman. Subsequently the remains were identified, and have been taken to the morgue, where an inquest will bo held.

The details with regard to the actual finding of the body are that whilo a number of men employed at,Messrs W. Wood and Co.’s Woolston tannery were sitting near tho river having lunch, something which had been noticed at a distance earlier in .the day, floated so close that it was made out to be a body. One of the men named J. Carodus went out on a punt, aud succeeded in bringing it near a small landing stage, where it was taken from the water and placed on the bank. This was at twenty minutes to one o’clock in the afternoon. Inspector Gillies was at once telephoned to, and Constable McDonald was sent out with a van to bring the body in.

Although considerably disfigured, the remains were easily identifiable as those of the Rev. Air Afarsliall.

As to how he got into the water it is impossible to say. From the appearance of the body there is little doubt but that ithad been in the river since first Air Alarshall disappeared. The tide had been flowing for some three hours, and was just on the ebb when tho body was seen, and it is probable tliat it had floated up and down the river for a considerable distance, with the ebb and flow of the tide, since rising an the natural course. The fact tliat. it was not before noticed is easily accounted for as the part of the stream where the ’ body was found is a portion of a little frequented reach, about a quarter of a mile from the Ferry road, and also only a small part of the clothing about tho chest and stomach was visible in the dark waters of the river.

When taken from the river the body of Air Alarshall was fully clothed, even to his white clerical tie. His boots were on, and' laced up. A gold medal which hung from his chain was most noticeably conspicuous. It was the medal gained by Air Alarshall when he won the Lawn Tennis Championship of New Zealand, and it was by this that the identity of the dead man became tolerably certain. The body lies at the morgue awaiting an inquest. Nothing was found in the late Air Marshall’s pockets except some letters lie had received, a pocket-book, some money (including four £1 notes), and other trifles. No writing or message to anyone regarding any intention to do away with himself was discovered. The inquest will iake place at 11 o’clock this morning.