FATALITY ON BOARD THE RANGITIKEI.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7977, 1 February 1897, Page 3

FATALITY ON BOARD THE RANGITIKEI.

CAPTAIN POTTINGER KILLED

The true position of nfMra oa board tho barque Rangitikei, the meaning of the signal she hod been flying for hours, and the fact that a shocking and fatal aocidant had ooourred on board, became known shortly after we went to prone on Saturday. The Union Company's Dingadee, from Wellington, entered the harbor shortly after 4 p m., and the captain, observing tha dangerous position of tho barque, steamed close to hor and ascertained that her master, Captain Pottinger, had been killed by a heavy eea. The Bangitikei'a anchors ware now holding well, and the aea had gone down considerably- _ Early on Sunday morning, the s s. v* esa went out to the barque, among those on board being Dr. de Lisle, the looal manager of the N.Z. Shipping Company (Mr Bullook), Constable Baskiville and a number of Btavedoree. It being impossible for tho "Weka to lie alongside tho barque in tho comparatively high sea which was then running a boat wae lowered by the Rtoamor, and the party whose mission it wae to board the Bangitibei did bo, scaling the aide of I tho vessel by rneane of a rope ladder. It appears from the statement of tha eeoond mate, Mr Molndua, that the veseel began to drag about four o'clock ou Saturday morning, although ft second anohor had I been put ont two boors previously. The vessel was then rolling heavily end shipping tremendona eeas, the storm being at that time abont the height of its fury. The vessel continued to drag and about 12 o'olock the captain thought it to give her more cable, as he was proceeding aft from the foreoastle head a heavy sea came over and Bwept him from the main | hatch into'the lee scuppers at the break of the poop. Some of tho crow immediately rushed to his assistance, but Captain Fottinget had received iDJnriea of such a nature that he died almost immediately afterwards. As soon as the accident occurred a signal was made to the effect that medical assistance was wanted, but aa previously stated the signal could not be made out from the ahore and it waa not until the Dingadee came along that the true state of things ■wae ascertained, The body was taken, ashore and an inquest held in the Railway Hotel yesterday afternoon. Dr. Spanoer aoting aa coroner, and Mr R. Pnfiett being foreman of the jury. The son of the dooeused, an able seaman named John Pottinger, stated that all hande were on deck between 12 and 1 o'clook on Saturday attending to the oables. The oaptain saw a heavy sea coming and sang out to the men to look out for themselvee. The men got hold of whatever wae handy, the oaptain standing on a spar clutohing part of the ringing. A heavy sea struck the veseel and ewept the oaptain into the lee souppers. The men went to him and.removed him to his berth, but he appeared lifeless and seemed to have been Wiled instantaneonaly. Some of the men were shaken but not severely hurt. Dr. de Liele gave evidence to the effect that the deoeased had received a Bevere wound, about two inob.es long, on the right temple and another on the back of the head, the ekull being apparently /raotured. Death, the witness stated, had resulted from concussion of the brain. He did not think » medical man oonld have done any good had he been on the spot at the time, aa death must have been almost instantaneous. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death." ... Captain Pottinger waa a native of the Orkney Islands and was 54 years of age. Of the thirty or forty years he had been at sea the last twenty were spent iv tho -eervioe of the New Zealand Shipping Company, first as mates of the Waitangi thon as master of the Waimate, and for the last six years in command of the Kangitlkei. The deoeased was a capable Beamnu, and s man whoao amiability and high fetorlmg qualities had won for him the esteem, the confidence, and admiration of all with w hom he had bnsinese or social relations.