LATE REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11690, 17 September 1903, Page 2

LATE REV. J. M. MARSHALL.

THE INQUEST. An inquest, touching the death of the late Rev. J. M. Marshall was held before Mr W. R. Haselden, Coroner, at the morgue yesterday morning. The Rev. P. J. Cocks, vicar of Opawa, stated that he had known the deceased for nearly twenty years, and identified tlio body as that of Mr Marsha!!. The deceased had been for some years Chaplain at the Wauganui Collegiate School. He came to stay with witness on Augu*t. 31st. Ho appeared to be in fair health, but was rather more silent, than usual, though liabituallv a very silent man. There, was

nothing about, him to cause, witness any uneasiness. He arrived at about 5.-t5 p.m. on Monday, and he remained with witness all the evening. Next morning they went out for a walk, the deceased seeming to be in his usual health, but not quite in his customary spirits. He spoke, of his troubles, and those of the Wanganui College. In the afternoon the deceased

went io a football match, and in the evening sab with witness and talked. He seemed particularly well when he went, to bed. He was a man of indifferent health,

his strength having boon impaired by several severe illnesses, and lie had not properly recovered from rheumatic fever. On Wednesday morning, 2nd inst., he ate a V(ry good breakfast, and appeared very well. Witness went away at 8.45, and did not see the deceased again. lie imagined that he was going to make a cucumber frame, for which be had ordered some wood, but deceased did not say anything about his intentions to witness. Mr Marshall was last seen by Mrs Cocks, to whom he said nothing as to where he was going. Witness's house was about a mile, by the nearest way, along a straight road, from where the body was found. Assuming that it was a ease of suicide, witness could form no theory about the cause, except for the school trouble, which appeared to press heavily, and, from what witness knew of the facts, unduly, upon Mr Marshall's mind. The deceased saH that he had reserved facts of which wit-

ness did not know. Apparently ho hid no money troubles, and he was very temperate. He was 36 years of age. Dr. W. 11. Symes stated that he had made an external examination of "••..lie body, which showed that there were no apparent marks of violence on tho fa.ee and hands. The body appeared to hare been submerged in water for about a fortnight. The appearances were consistent with death from drowning. A further examination might disclose positively whether death was due to drowning, but the state of decomposition rendered it doubtful. Witness did not strip the body, as he understood that he was only required to make an inspection. Ho could si rip the body, but he would require assistance. The Coroner, addressing the jury, said he thought at least the body .should be stripped, to make sure, that there, were no marks of violence. To save time, they might ask Dr. Sym.es to do it now, or they could wa.it to see whether the other evidence effectively disposed of any suggestion of foul play.

" Mr G. L. Marshall, brother of the deceased, said ho thought it would be more satisfactory 10 have everything possible done.

The, Coroner stated that the. police instructions to Dr. Symcs meant that he should make an external examination of the whole body, and not of the face and hands merely. This was directed to be done, as soon as possible. Henry R.. Peel, accountant, stated that. he saw the deceased on the evening of August 50th, at Opawa Church. He saw him again between 9.40 and 9.50 on Wednesday morning, about four hundred yards from Mr Cocks's house, from which be, was going away, and about one hundred yards from the Opawa bridge. Ho was looking on the ground as ho walked, and no word was exchanged. James Garrodus, a resident of South Opawa, deposed that, oil the 15th inst., at 12.40 p.m., while at Mr Wood's tannery, Woolston, he say something lying inhhe Heathcote. He dragged the* body a&ntrc, •ftnd sent word to Cue fdi&gi The fcSKdy was lying face downward, with the hands and feet free, and the clothes were not disarranged in the slightest. Only the hat was missing. Constable Hobson, stationed at Woolston, gave evidence that, on receiving intimation that a body had been found in the Heathcote river, ho went with Cons-table Wilson to the place. The clothes wero not disarranged, and there was no indication of violence, except for a slight graze on the temple, which witness took to have been caused by some obstruction in the water. Witness searched the oody at the morgue, and found four £1 notes, a cheque for £l6 13s Id, some letters addressed to the Rev. J. M. Marshall, a silver watch and chain, with a gold pendant, and other small articles. The letters had been <x amined by the Inspector and Sub-Inspector of Police, but they contained nothing to indicate any intention of suicide. The watch had stopped at 10.23. If the body had got into the river higher up, it would probably have floated down to the place whore it was found.

Dr. Symes, having made a complete external examination of the body, deposed that ho had found no marks of violence, and no suggestion of any foul play. It was practically certain that death resulted from drowning.

Mr Marshall asked if it could be established by further examination whether his brother's heart was affected. It was wellknown that his heart was weak. The Coroner said that there was no evidence pointing to suicide. Mr Marshall suggested it was possible the deceased might have had a fainting lit, and fallen into the water while unconscious.

Dr. iSymes said that an examination would not establish this j>oint, and the deceased would continue to breathe while under tho influence of a fainting lit. George L. Marshall, brother of the deceased, stated that he was a farmer, residing near Tnrakina, Wanganui. His brother was unmarried. It was known that he had always had a weak heart, and he bad fainted on several occasions. His mother received a letter from him about ;• week 'beforo his death. Witness was told by his mother that the deceased had written in good spirits, stating that he had nearly recovered from his illness. The Coroner, in putting the facts before the jury, stated that it was almost impossible for the deceased to have been alive and about for any long time after he was seen by Mr Peel, It might be taken almost as proved that he must have got into tho water a few seconds at most beforo 10.23 on the morning of his disappearance. That the body remained undiscovered for so long was not remarkable. It would probably sink with the weight of clothing, and he had known bodies to be submerged for a much longer period before rising to tho surface. (It. was pointed out by the police that the river was dirty and full of weeds.) There was absolutely no evidence on which to found a verdict of suicide, while the condition of the clothes negatived any suggestion that the deceased carne to his death by the hand of another. The circumstances showed that death was caused by drowning, but how the deceased got into the ivater there was no evidence to show.

In answer to a question by a juror, Mr Marshall stated that his brother was a good swimmer. The jury returned a verdict that tho deceased came to his death by drowning, but that there was no evidence to show in what manner he became immersed.