DROWNING TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10490, 15 October 1926, Page 3

DROWNING TRAGEDY

ELDERLY MAN FOUND IN RIVER.

AN OPEN VERDICT. »

The discovery of the body of John Howartli, aged 65, in the Taxuheru river about half a mile from the old freezing work's on Tuesday afternoon, was investigated by the Coroner (Mi EL O. Levvey, S.M.) yesterday. Wm. Howiarth, a brother of the deceased, stated his brother John was 65 years of age, and was born at Big Hill, Victoria, in July 1861. Witness last saw bis brother in the Matching hoarding-house grounds about 5 p.mi. on Tuesday, the latter then being under the influence of liquor, which) was bis bad failing. He was unaware that his brother had ever expressed the intention of doing away with himself. When- witness saw his brother was.the worse for drink, he did not, as was his custom, speak to him, but there had been no quarrel between them merely passing by each other. When his brother was under the influence he became stupid or silly. Richard Wm. Burnett ,a hoarder at the Mafeking hoarding-house, stated he saw Ho war tlx near the police station albut 5.15 p.m. on Tuesday, apparently then being on his way heme, but subsequently witness saw him in the vicinity of the Gisborne Hotel, and ho was then obviously under the influence of drink.

Oapt. Arthur George Richardson stated that about noon on Wednesday, when the launch was towing a barge np tile river to the old freezing works, he saw the body stranded on the mud in the liver, and after communicating with the police, ho and Constable McDonnell recovered it and conveyed it to the morgue. He considered that had Howarth fal’en in the river near town the body might easily have floated to the locality in which he found it. There was a piece of skin off below one of Howarth’s eyes,'hut witness considered this might easily have been caused hv striking; a. snag. This point was cleared up by the witness Burnett, who stated that the injury beneath Hownrth’s eye was apparent when, he saw liim about 5.15 p.m. on Tuesday. Constable McDonnell gave, formal evidence of recovering and conveying the body to the morgue. A search of the decea.sed’s clothes revealed, among other things, over £2 in cash, and a bottle of beer three parts full. The Coroner returned’ an open verdict that Howarth met his death by drowning,, but that there was no evidence to show how lie got into the water.