INQUEST ON A CHILD DROWNED IN A WELL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2872, 9 October 1866, Page 5

INQUEST ON A CHILD DROWNED IN A WELL.

An inquest was held yesterday, at the Newton Hotel, on the body of Edward Hildyard Gatland, who was drowned in a well on Saturday last. Mr. W. Griffin was chosen foreman of the jury. After the jury had viewed the body and the well, the following evidence was taken :—: — Ann Louisa Gatland deposed : I am the wife of James Gatland, carpenter, Easfc-streefc, Newton. Deceased was my child, and was aged fourteen months. On Saturday afternoon, there were only the child and myself in the house. I tied his hat on, and left him to play in a skilling at the back of the house. I went in for his jacket, and on coming out to put it on him I did not see him. I thought he was round at the side of the house, as I heard children's roicea. I looked all about the house for him. In searching the yard I observed that the well was open, and thinking it was dangerous I went to close ifc, when I saw the body on the top of the water. He lay with his face downwards. The well was nearly full, and I was able to reach the body, and pull it out. I ran to the top of the yard to get a man to go for Dr. Pierce. I then brought my child into the house, and stripped him. The back part of the dress wa3 not wet. I rolled him in blankets, and I thought there were some signs of life. Dr. Pierce came in a few minutes, and as soon as he took the child he said it was dead. I had not been at the well for at least a week, having a supply of rain water. I knew the well -lid was open, as it had been left so on purpose to freshen the water. The child never went near the well. James Brown Gatland deposed : I heard of the accident abont five o'clock on Saturday. I don't recollect when I was last at the well. 1 have left it open frequently to sweeten the water, but I have no recollection when I last opened the lid. I did not apprehend danger from my child getting to the well. The lid is simply a door and hinge, withont any fastening. Dr. Pierce deposed that when he first saw the child it had been dead some five or ten minutes. For the satisfaction of the friends, however, he tried various means to restore animation, but without avail. Jerome Cadman deposed that deceased was his grandson. He happened to call at Mr. Gatland's on Saturday, about twenty minutes past three o'clock. Mrs. Gatland was trying to get the chdd to sleep, but it roused up. Witness did not «tay more than five minutes in the house. Witness thought, from the whole of the circumstances, that every precaution was taken to guard against accident. The jury returned a verdict that deceased was accidentally drowned in a well.