CORONER'S INQUEST AT WOODVILLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3130, 9 July 1881, Page 3

CORONER'S INQUEST AT WOODVILLE.

An inqueßfc on the body of William Douglas, who was found drowned in the Manawatu river, at tho upper ferry, on Sunday afternoon, the 3rd inst., was held at the Woodville Hotel at 10 a.m. on Thursday, before J. J. Fountain, Esq., J.P., and a respectable jury, namely, Joseph Sowry (foreman), Thomas Moore, W. G. Collett, James Edwards, F. Elmbranch, Edward Grange, J. J. Murphy, Alfred Jackson, Ohas. Dixon, James Hutchins, E. Smith, and Alexander Cameron.

After viewing the body the following e\l dence was taken :—

R. W. Ind Carver, sworn, stated: lam a ferryman. On Sunday, 3rd inst., I put the deceased, Wm. Douglas, across the river at the upper ferry. He said he was going to "Woodville. This was about 3 p.m. He was not drunk, but a little on. Soon after, however, I saw him turn back towards the ford. Immediately he stepped into the water, and attempted to cross. I asked two men, George Smith and John Murray, to go down to the ford to assist him over. They ran down, and I prepared to get the canoe out to follow them. When I got to the ford, which is 200 or 300 yards from where the boat crosses, I heard my son call out " Jack's got him." I then put the canoe on shore, and hastened down the bank to assist in carrying him up. When I got to where they were standing they pointed out to me his body floating down the stream. I then ran home to the ferry-house for the paddle, and took the canoe down. After paddling down about half a mile those on shore pointed out to me something white, which I found to be the deceased, stuck on a snag. I'pulled him into the canoe, felt his pulse, and found he was quite dead. I turned him on his face, and with the assistance of G-eorge Smith took the deceased up to the ferry-house. By the Coroner: It was about thirty minutes from the time I first saw him in the water till I pulled him out. Life was then quite extinct.

By the foreman : The reason I put him across the ferry was because he had been quarrelling with me and others. By the Coroner: Ifc was about half-past two in the afterneen when we put him across against bis will. He was very violent and threatened to settle rae. He lifted an iron bar, and attempted to strike mo with it, when George Smith prevented him. He was usually a quiet man. He has been working for me since June 2nd off and on. He has been drinking about a fortnight, having received some money from the natives, for whom he pr-eviously worked. John Murray, laborer, sworn :—I was at the ferry on Sunday, July 3rd. I saw the deceased. He went to Woodville in the morning, and returned about 12 or half-past 12. He wanted me to give birn some dinner I told him to wait till it was ready. Mr Carver came to get his dinner ready. He then began quarrelling with Carver, and seized him by the throat. Carver pushed him down into a chair. Deceased then got hold of an iron bar from the fire-place and attempted to strike Carver, when George Smith prevented him. Tho iron bar was then taken from him. He then began fighting with Smith. Carver then got hold of him and took him to the road, and asked him to keep quiet. He then picked up a stone, and was in the act of throwing it, when Carver stayed his hand. Carver, Smith, and I took him to the boat. He pi'omised to go quietly. When we got him across the river we took him up to the coach-track, which leads to Woodville. Smith and myself returned to the boat. Carver stopped to speak to him quietly. As soon as Carver came we put off in the boat. When we reached the other side from Woodville we stood near the bank of the river about twenty minutes to watch bim. I saw him go to the Woodville road. He suddenlyturned back, and made for the ford. I next saw him take off his trousers and step into the water. He got about half way across the river when he " ducked under " twice. George Smith and myself then ran down and saw him hanging on to a snag. As wo got about one hundred yards from him he let go his hold, and the current took him down the rirer. I then ran along the riverbed, throwing off my clothes as I went. I rushed into the water and swam out to a snag. Just saw his head floating past as I caught hold of the snag, but could not save him, as I was out of breath and numbed. I then went ashore and ran lower down so as to catch him at the ford where the water was shallow, but he stuck in a snag about twenty yards higher up. Eire minutes afterwards Carver came with the canoe, and took dedecased to tho ferry house. He seemed quite dead. By the Coroner: Tho water was not more than up to his waist. By a juryman : He did not call for tho boat. When he returned from Woodville in tho morning he had a small flask of brandy with him and was under the influence of liquor. He was generally very quiet. Two or three had drinks out of the flask as well as deceased. Carver asked us to assist in putting him across the river, as he was not safe. George Smith sworn : I am a laborer. I live at tbe ferry, and remember seeing deceased on the 3rd instant. He was on tho other side of tho ferry from Woodville. I saw him first in the morning before he

left, for Woodville. He was sober then. I saw hint when he returned. I brought him over in the boat. He' was t?oc then sober, nor was he drunk. He was walking right enough, but was talkative. He had two small flasks of brandy with him. I saw him drink one flask right off. I also saw Murray and another man have some with him out of the second one. In the afternoon he became violent. We then carried him to the boat. He was then quiet. He did not make any threat about coining back. He was the worse for liquor when we put him across. He could have crossed the river if he had been sober. If I had not thought him capable of doing so I would have gone over and prevented him from going in the water. There was not more than three feet of water in the river.

Joseph Motley sworn : T am a police constable stationed at Woodville. On Monday morning, July -1,1 received information that a man had been drowned in the Mannwatu, near the upper ferry, on Sunday night. I immediately proceeded to the ferry, and found the deceased William Douglas lying in a house owned by Mr Carver. I examined the body. I saw a few slight bruises on the face, but no marks of violence. I searched him and found 6d and a pocket knife. I conveyed the body to the Woodville Hotel. He had no trousers on.

The jury, after some discussion, returned the following verdict: —" That the deceased William Douglas met with his death !in attempting to ford the Manawatu river while under the influence of drink on Sunday, July 3rd.