DROWNING FATALITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2129, 2 March 1908, Page 2

DROWNING FATALITY.

ACCIDENT AT HARRIS’ BEND. YOUNG AUCKLANDER NAAIED TO BEE LOSES HIS LIFE. A sad drowning fatality occurred at the well-known swimming place at Harris’ bend, just oft Riverside road, on Sunday afternoon ,thc imJortuiiamed Henry' 'J’obee, whose parents live in Auckland, and who had only been in town for Lon days. There were the usual number of swimmers at the spot during tho afternoon, hut at the time of the accident, about a quarter to five, the majority had left for their homes, but l bore were about a dozen lads of various ages on the bank getting dressed. They' could not, however, see all that happened, as a willow tree obstructed the view. It appears that Tobee. borrowed a bathing costume and jumped from the bank into the river, coming on his stomach severely. Ho swam with tlio outgoing tide down the river for about a chain, and then disappeared. Shortly afterwards his head was seen above water for a few seconds only, then ho sank twice more and was not seen again. Victor Vowles states that ho and Victor Dooling witnessed tho occurrence. Arthur Coster, Tobee’s mate, was sitting at tho end of the jetty; he was just about to come out when ho was heard to call out that somebody was drowning. Tho boys heard Coster say, “I can’t help him” ; he seemed to be nervous or paralysed with horror. Vowles had his trunks oil' and was almost dry, but he quickly got into the water, calling Dooling to his assistance. Both dived in, and swam about for a considerable period, but they saw nothing. Air. J. Dods dived again and again, but unsuccessfully. Victor Vowles states that Tobee could swim just enough to keep himself up. Ho came after the boy;; were concluding, and he borrowed trunks from a lad named J. B. Hogg,; but they were too small, and he tied! them in a knot. Perhaps this incon- 11 vcnienced him. Tlio boys did not"” hear Costercall out, but several oft them saw Tobee’s head only, about' ten yards from the spring-board. 'I • G. Clark said that he saw the headt emerging from the water. If Tobee’l bad cried out the boys would have j been certain to hear him. A r owles ‘ j and Hogg were waiting, as they had lent their trunks, Arowles’ being lent." to Tobec’s mate. >

AValter Reddell was also one of those present, and 'he saw the head going under. Air. AV. S. Luun despatched Alfred Matthews to 'inform the police, and Detective Broberg, Acting-Detective Skinner, and Constable Tait were quickly on the scene, and aided bv Air. A. Young and others, at once commenced dragging operations in row boats belonging to Alessrs Alurray' and Nieholls. A grappling iron was lent by T Air. A. Dewing. Operations were kept up for a couple of hours without success, and at 7 o’clock Air. Lunn hospitably' treated the toilers, and work was resumed. Doubt was entertained as to whether the searchers would be able to recover the body, as the hole was so deep at that particular place that 14 years ago a person named AVoods was drowned in the same spot, and the body was never recovered.

Air. Cave, of Alessrs Cave and Veale, and an uncle of deceased, told a “Times” reporter that Tobee came from Auckland last AVednesday week. His father is a German, but the lad was born at Auckland, where he had lived all his life. Tobee was staying with him, and left the house at about a quarter past two yesterday afternoon, saying that he was going down tlio street. Air. Gave never thought that he was going swimming, and he did not know if he could swim. He did not know if Tobee was liable to cramp. A youth named Clayton came to tlie house about 5.15 fi.ru. and acquainted him with the news of the sad event, and Air. Cave then rode straight to the river. He was a smart lad, and until recently he was at AVarkworth, Auckland, with another uncle. His father lives at Bellwood Avenue, Alt. Roskill. Deceased’s age was 18.

Arthur Coster, aged 21, Tobee’s mate, gives his version of the affair as follows: “Charles Gardiner and I went round the Cook monument for a walk, and then returned, having nowhere in particular to go to, and we crossed the AVhataupoko bridge, where we met Tobee. He said, ‘How is it for a swim?’ I replied that I did not mind if there was any good place. He said, ‘See that green bank oyer there?’ I replied ‘Yes.’ Tobee said ‘That is where the boys generally swim; we will go there.’ AYe went there and saw some boys, and I borrowed two bathing costumes. "AA’e stripped, and I dived in. Tobee also went in and had a swim round. Then he got out on tlie-edge of the bank and stood there awhile, after which he executed a flat jump and came on his stomach. I was in the water swimming, and could see all that weut on. He had a swim round with me. and then I went out and stood near the spring board. I noticed nothing further until I heard him yell “Arthur,” and I told some chaps, and although we looked we could not see any more of him. I could not move l could not shift out of the spot, through shock I suppose. I don’t know how I felt, but I just yelled out, Here s a chap drowning.’ Gardiner tofd the others and asked them to save him Tobee .was at the most three yards from the bank and about twenty yards down stream from the spring-board. Gardiner rushed alon(•with a stick, and waited for him to come up to grab it, but tlie opportunity never occurred. Some of the boys dived an, but they could do nothing. One person came down from the read and dived in, but he could -see nothing. In the meantime someone rode away for tho police, who arrived promptly, and made determined efforts but unsuccessfully. At six ? c j lod j * went home and bad some tea, after which 1 brought mv belongings to the Albion Hotel. Up to Wd+i aSt T\ UtG Tobee was in good kealth. I have known him for a couple of months, and he lias never complained of cramp. I think tlie him down or else some--1,0 v S T l°,V °T kl oi lnm - 1 don’t know ,ttV V V VaS n , ot exactl .v nervous. but the shock made me feel as if ] could not go m, although I am a fair swimmer. If I ] md {Teen able to upon it.” hav ° douo 60 > depend tiimwif "ibo*' 1 Wa l at 4 ', 15 > *“d at the time ot the accident the tide would Ms

Ind t '| J r»rM C *" bt,lbk ; s T l ut and Scott bad a Luther search. .with tho grappling iron Constablo Scott struck four or"fiT hr +' aitor dropping the line , e times, and deceased was hooked by the trunks from >a depth o about 15 or 20 feet. There was blood mark on the head, but this iron 1 Tb U J l t e ? S be CiUlS<?d b . v the morgue b ° dy ' Vas ™»'’cyed to the

to-day. ill<lUCSt WiU l )robabs y b e hold

In view of the fact that Tehee was w•iitn V i od *° r , ,Se ? n, y ouce J reporter w aatod oil a local medical man to ask Ins opinion as t-o the general belief that a person must rise three times be loro drowning. The authority in question stated that the belief' had absolutely no foundation in fact The number of times a person rose depended largely on the amount of air <n the lungs, and to a degree on the specific gravity of the water. If a person got his lungs well filled with air each time lie rose, there was no hunt to the number of times be might rise. If a person called out just as he sank for the first time and emptied Ins lungs, be would probably never rise again.