ACCIDENTAL. DROWNING

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1920, Page 3

ACCIDENTAL. DROWNING

INQUEST OX THE DEATH OF. j PERCY WALTON.

An inquest touching the death ' of Percy Walton who was reported to have boon drowned in the GVcy River on October 25th last and whose body was found on the South Beach on Thursday was held at the Court Souse ' yesterday. !t The Acting-Coroner Mr F. H. Kil- !, c gour conducted proceedings.. The • s jury comprised Messrs H. E. Hotherrt sail, James Kent, H. Trouland, .G. n Jones, Mr Hothersall was elected forc- '. man. s Allen Newman Baker an officer in c the Bank of New Zealand, who found '" the body of deceased on the South Beach, Blaketown deposed that on discovery of tho body Messrs Minchon. and Collins made it fast above the wa- .. ter line. Meanwhile he informed the a police. tl Edwin Haste aged 15 years stated '- that at about 11.30 "a.m. on Sunday; 21th October he was fishing for whitebait on the rocks in tho direction of the Tip Head. Whilst doing so he noticed deceased also fishing about 30 yards f jirther down in the direction of the Tip. Some time after he heard a lad named Senior who was in his company, say that a man had fallen into the river. On looking he saw deceased in the water, with his hands and part of his head above the water. After waving his arms for a little while Walton disappeared and witness and Senior made for the spot where the deceased went down, but all they could see was his hat floating and tur bubbles rising to the surface. The boys shouted to some men in a launch but apparently were unheard. Victor Coburn, aged 16, stated that about 11.30- a.m. on the date mentioned he was fishing for whitebait near "the Tip" by himself, and about 40, yards from where Walton was standing. He heard someone' cry out thata man, had fallen into the water. On looking in the direction of where he had last seen Walton he saw him in the water with his hands up. On hurrying to the spot all he could see was some bubble^ on the surface. With tho other two boys he called out to George Schroeder who was in his launch some distance away, but as far as he could see Schroeder did not hearhjin. *He then went, and informed the police. Thos. George Walton, uncle of deceased deposed that h'3 identified tho body found on the beach as that of his nephew Percy Walton. His principal means of identification, the body being much cTec6mposed, was the watch chain and trinket on the deceased 's body. The watch bore on it the initials "W.W.," and had apparently stopped at 11.30: then the trinket and the general form of the body which left positively no doubt as to its ideritity Mounted Constable Wilson stated that on receipt of information, at about 11.45 a.m. on Sunday, October 24th, he proceeded to the Tip, after gathering the grappling irons from the Harbour Board. He dragged-the vicinity of where deceased was last seen for about two hours, he being relieved by Constable Withers who carried on dragging . operations till about 4 p.m. on the. same date. Last night (November. 25th) 'he took possession of the body and placed it in the morgue. The* Acting-Coroner (Mr Kilgour) addressing the jury on the return of their verdict, which was that d&ceased Percy Walton was accidentally drowricd by falling into the Grey River en October 24., said: "I. fully concur with your verdict and I desire to convey to the parents of the deceased my sympathy, and also that of the jury in their sad bcr'eavement. "