ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 130, 25 February 1908, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

A SUSPICIOUS DEATH. ' MAN.FOUND INv AUCKLAND HARBOUR. 1 ' POLICE THEORY (Dr TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL COP.IiESPOh'DENT.) r . a Auckland, February 24.. . AtV. To'clock : on , Saturdaymorning the •...police recoivcMl'.information that': tho • body of a',man ,had been'.seeii floating in'tho harbour■ riDar-. No.J'4 jetty; Quay- Street: ' .Constable Armstrong proceeded to tho spot'and removed, the body to tho morgue. . .. Yesterday tho Coroner. (Mr. T. Greshain) held' an inquest. ' Dr. Murray, ■ who made a 'post-mortem, examination, deposed that the body was that of, a 'man .'of' about 55 'years of age,' about sft;' 4iri/ in height,' and of .'wellset. build..Tho manfbad evidently. followed a manual occupation. . His, hair was close' cropped,;just ;"tiiriiing grey, ( and showing no : signs .of ' balilness, • arid, his beard, "also just ; turning';greyi ,! Hvas'. clipped; ■ / Ho had no teeth in 'theiupperjaw..■ There'-wdre'fno marks ofviolence.* • Witness .iivas :of opinion that '..deceased had met' his death by drowning about. : twelvo hours pridr to' the .examination, of tho b'<3dy; at'S^O.'pim. I 'W''SstuMay;': no'indicatioris' of:alcohol noiv Of poison'.;.;

;:A. witness'namedKelly.',said, Hp was positive -tho were those of. a" 1 cattle dealer named Price,-.who was on.his way-from Taranaki to Hamilton. He knew.Price well/ and vliad. spoken ,to him as : recently as last Thursday, .in ..Auckland.. '. .. . .-..Tho, Coroner : ... : expres,sed,';the; opinion" that. :iuch,'a .man; would;have had a'cheque-book'or cash' on' him. ; 'V.

. Tho; po]ice( ; > stated ! ;'thafc nothing- but; a . pair .of spectacles was found on the man. There were no-papers of any description, or monoy. The polico inclmcd to tho' opinion: that the man;had. ; been robbed and .pushed-.into tho -harbour. . ...:.' - A' verdict of " Fou'nd drowned in tho waters ,of'tho Auckland Harbour " was returned,' it" "being ; :addcd 'th'at l thero : was: no- evidence' to" show Jiow deceased came to bo there.., ; >,' , VDTOeasedxwas.'jWearing.. a,; coat v. of.-dark matorial, : brown - trousers'.' and ■ vest,-- 'bluo! singlet,coloured J-isßirt;; and . 'light' lace-iip' boots.'; He 1 was::evidently. 1 a 1 man.. of';some,' respectability,' judging by-, the. 'general' indications. . i...'.-;

: / (BV j.TELEGRAPH—PRESS; ASSOCIATION.) . ■ i' ■■■'. Wairoa, February 24. , - . .'A..man . named Mackin, a visitor to tlio Lake House, 1: AVaikaremo'ana, attempted ■/suicide': this; morhing*by '-'cutting-'his throat.' Ho is in a critical state. - Medical aid was ■ despatched later. Mackin is said to be from • Hastings. '.■//H^'/Z-t'V-.:'/ -Later hi the day tho unfortunate man ' died. An inquest will lie held; to-morrow.. No cause can bo assigned, for the deed.: • Z • , , Ciiristchuroli, February 24 '• - S.. R. Merrett, who sustained concussion, - - of. .tho brain I in Saturday night's motor car . • accident^on tho Lincoln .'road,' stilj lies un-: conscious at the hospital. :. excitement was caused on Jervois - Quay just 'before three " o'clock yesterday /.afternoon by a collision between' an electric car and .an.'express driven by Mr.\ Albert Peck, of tho Lower Hutt. The driver of the express, , hearing .' the inotonnah's bell behind ; him, pulled, off- or.e set of rails on to the -/' other, and.so' brought about the', collision he .." was : .anxious ,to /avoid. The. car struck- and damaged the front of his express, but fortunately/no further 'injury; was caused.