DISCOVERY OF TWO DEAD BODIES NEAR TIMARU.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1354, 30 November 1872, Page 2

DISCOVERY OF TWO DEAD BODIES NEAR TIMARU.

[herajqu, srov. 22.] Yesterday morning, as Mr N. Barton, a farmer, living opposite the race-course; was riding into d?imaru,..he ; -.saw,s.when about midway between the meat preserving establishment and the rocky pointi (which juts into the road before coming ■ to the foot of the downs) a pair of human feet sticking out of the water of the Wash-> dyke Creek, which here runs about 60 of 70 yards from the road. Mr Barton atonce turned his horse, and rode back to the Washdyke police Btation, where he gave information of what he had seen to Constable Wallis who is stationed there. The constable and Barton then proceeded to the creek, and with the help of a third man, Bartlett, succeeded in dragging from the water the dead body of the manj M'Lean, who has been missing since Thursday last. The body was in an almost upright position in the water, the head down,Hburied in the mud, and thelegs protruding some little way above the' surface. In lifting up the body they > found very considerable difficulty, arising from the fact that it was heavily weighted at the head, but at last, with the use of a' boat, they managed to get it to shore.; This weight wa3 found to be a lump of pig iron, weighing 601 bor 701 b ,. which had been secured round the unfortunate man's neck by a piece of flax. There were* no marks of violence on the . body, other than a bruised wrist. There is one cir-j cumstance, however, which, until cleared; lip points to foul play, and that-is thii fact that on the body being searched by the constable, no money was found. On Thursday, when first reported as missing, 'the man was known, to have in his posses-, . sion between LSO and L6O in bank notes.' But on the other hand, as the' money was all together in a pocket-book, it is possible that the unfortunate fellow might have ' thrown the book into the water, or have buried it, or that it had fallen out of his pocket into the mud of the creek. . Since - disappearance of M'Lean, Messrs -..■•■■ Derby and JameslOng scoured the ranges •' and low downs at the back of Timaru. They were about : giving up the search, <' and were coming homewards, when; being ' near the little stream which flows by v Ward's hut, they went along its course for. the purpose of watering their horses, ■ and to get a drink for themselves. Both' men went to seek it in different places in , ' the creek, and King on going down the \ 0 bank, found lying before him in water i which did not even cover the face, the dead body of a man. King sung out to r his companion, who quickly ■ came to > his aid, and they found the body. Itwaathat of a ,nian of middle age, sandy complexion, reddish hair ; he was dressed/in a dark tweed suit and light trousers.. In searching, round about, no hat or swag were ' found. The body had evidently been > there for some few days, as it was partly decomposed, and emitted a horrible effluvium. Kext afternoon, a police constable took a trap and brought the body into Si?- „ Saltwater Creek, during hat week to '• work at the Pareora station (Mr Elworthy b). He put his swag on a Dasainir dray, and bmself started fSrtheSof< on foot, lia«t acoputttg state thit inquiri^

have been made from the station for this man, he not having arrived. Whore the body was found the depth of water did not exceed six inches.