LAUNCH FATALITY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 27 April 1922, Page 5

LAUNCH FATALITY.

I FISHERMAN'S DEATH

! (BY TELEGRAPH PttESS ASSOCIATION.; i DONEDIN, April 26. 1 An inquiry was held this morning' concerning the death of John McMillan, a married man, aged 44, who was lost overboard from a fishing (launch on January 18, and whose body was never re*sbvered v In evidence "Robert Thomas Medex, a fisherman, in whose launch deceased worlce3, stated that about four miles from Otago Heads deceased was steering, witness being in the engine-house. It was rough, with a choppy sea, Something caused witness to look round, and he heard deceased fall into the sea. Witness related how he vainly tried to recover deceased. Witness stated that he and deceased were on the best of ■j terms. Lifebuoys were kept under ; cover to preserve them. ' Sergeant McMahon read a statement by deceased's wife, who \vss in too nervous a condition to attend. In this statement the wife said she distrusted Medex, for the reason that once she heard him; when speaking of another man. saying that if he got him owt m his boat he would come back alone. The statement admitted that Medex and deceased .seemed good friends. The coroner said it was unfortunate that the woman had made such a statement. ' The coroner recalled Medex, wh^ called the statement "tommy-Tot." He stated that he had known deceased since boyhood, and gave him a place in the i "boat because he was out of -work. j The coroner, in finding a verdict of j accidental drowning, said he could see ; nothing to justify the extravagant and j suspicious statements, which appeared ■ to be those of a highly-strung and and I nervous woman An accident could .readily happen m a rough sea, when > there was relaxation of carA.