CORNER'S INQUEST.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5384, 17 May 1879, Page 3

CORNER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held yesterday at the dwelling-house of Mr Thomas Powdrell, Meanee, before Dr." Hitchihgs, coroner, on the body of Julia" Annie : Tatham, whose body was "found in the Tutaek'uri river on Thursday afternoon. „ . . ' ; The following gentlemen were sworn on the jury :— Messrs Harvey Sladen (foreman), L, H. Tiffen, T. H. Gilligan, J. 3-vans, E. Davies, W. Pulfordj J. Neagle, H. Allen,,. A. M'Donald, D. M'lntosh, W. Robertson, G. Snelling, D. M'Callum. The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken : — . ' , Thomas Powdrell identified the body as that of Julia Annie Tatham, who had been residing at his house for the last eight years. Witness saw her last about 1.30 p.m. last Monday. She was then in her usual health and spirits, and she was leaving witness's house to go for a ride. Witness assisted in saddling the horse deceased rode. Mary Ann Powdrell, daughter of the. previous witness, corroborated his evidence, adding that when deceased left the house to take' a ride she said she was goir-g to the Post-office, and from thereto Mr Parson's. Witness had not seen her alive since. At about six o'clock on Monday evening witness's brother's boy, a lad named George, brought in a horse which his master had found without a rider at the gate leading from the lane to Mr, PowdreU's house. The boy asked if Miss Tatham was at home. Deceased was rather pensive of late, and witness ,believed it was in connection with family 'matters ; she was 31 years old. Witness had, not heard of any love affair preying on deceased's mind. If it had been so witness was sufficiently .in the confidence of deceased to have known of it. ; • Henry Powdrell, son of the first witness, stated that about G o'clock on Monday evening he was returning from shooting, and on reaching the gate leading ,to his father's place he saw a horse loose, 1 with saddle and bridle on ; the saddle was dry. The horse had not apparently been in the river. Witness took particular notice of that. Mary Parsons, daughter, of John Par- , sons of Papakura, stated that the deceased arrived on horseback at her father's house at about 20 minutes to 4 o'clock on Monday - afternoon. . She dismounted and came into the house and stayed about an hour. She seemed to be in her usual health and spirits, and was quite chatty and talkative. She mentioned haying received a letter, but made no allusion to its contents. ; She left at about half-past 4 o'clock, and it would have taken her about an hour and a half to get home. Witness cautioned her about crossing the river, as she was talking of doing, X.. James Cunningham stated that about 6.' o'clock on. Monday evening,, he' saw deceased passing his place. She was on horseback. She was .going 'at a' walking pace, in the direction > of; ■Mr Powdrellls house:- Witness did not speak to her, hut was ; certain, that it was deceased. ■Constable John Ryan stated that last ! Wednesday morning he went in company. with.'Mr jPo'wdrell, senior,, tp search the. paddocks to find deceased, but could jdiscbyer iip trace of her. Witness then ex-., amined the river banks, .commencing a{7 the corner, of the Mission paddock. Within : a few yards of the edge of the river wit?. !ness saw 'what appeared to be a lady's footprints. •: Traced them two or three yards tb the river's edge. . One of the foot-prints was within afoot of the water ; the toes were towards the river. Clobo by • where the foot-prints ceased there was an impresaionon the sand as if some one had • sat down or slipped.. At that place the j bank of the river was perpendicular, and was about three feet above the water. Witness found no other foot-prints' except at that place. The river bank was rotten . and liable to drop in. Witness searched the body of deceased that day (Friday), and found in the pocket of the riding habit a letter written by Mary Tatham to; Julia Tatham. Witness heard the letter read. The purport of it was to ask deceased to go to Nelson with the writer, There were also two newspapers and a pair of kid: gloves tied up in a pocket handkerchief. Harry Lang, a half-caste, residing at Waiohiki pah, stated that he accompanied Constable Ryan in search of the body of deceased. At about three o'clock on Thursday afternoon they succeeded in finding it. It was in the middle of the river buried up in sand. While wading in the river witness felt the body with hie : hand. At that place the river was three feet deep, with a strong current running. Witness had his attention called to some foot-prints ; the place where the body was found, was about 200 yards from the foot prints, down the stream. Constable Ryan being recalled, statec that he had charge of the body since i was found, and was present that morninj when Dr Hitchings examined the body ; Witness saw no marks whatever of vio lence ou any part of the body. The jury returned a verdict of (i Foun< Drowned."