THE LATE MR HOWARD DODSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 288, 7 December 1893, Page 2

THE LATE MR HOWARD DODSON.

An inquest was held nt Blenheim on Tuesday on the body of the lute Mr Howard Dodson. The followirg report ia from the Marlborough Express : — Henry Palmer, farmer, deposed that he saw the deceased go pist hia plaoe yesterday morning. He was in a trap driving towards Blenheim, and stopped to speak ; deceased asked him if he thought he could cross. Told him he was doubtful and that Mudford Flat was dangerous Mr Frank Dodson ral gone along the road before deceised t hit morniDg. Told him he would know whether it was dangerous by the posts, that the posts stood six feet from the ground. He said that he was more afraid of the cul-

verts than anything else. There is a culvert at Mudford Flat ; none before that. Told him that his brother had parsed along. It was two miles and a half from his place to the Hat. Had told F Dodson that lie could cross, but the water had risen in the interval ; deceased passed along three hours after his brother. Deceased said he would come back if it was too deep. It was very deep at times at the Flat. There was no danger of being swept away by the current at that place. Deceased accosted liiin first; his hands were trembling, and he appeared to be either cold or nervous.

To Mr Girling : It was raining whoa he sp >ke to deceased, lie passed his (Palmer's) place iit about 10 oO a.m. Heard from Mr Wicks of the accident at about 12-30.

Dr. G leghorn deposed that be weut to see deceased at about 3 o'clock ye3terd iy afternoon at the bouse. He tiad been dead for 3ome hours and was of a dusky blue colour, us is the result of death from suffocition. There, were no marks on the body. The fall from the trap into the water would nut have bruised him. He attended dec. ased bit dy. IL' hud not been well and w.is subject ti giddii.pss- He ha I a tmiporary disease of the vascular system. It was possible that he could huve fallen from the trap in a perfec;ly helpless state. lie had ad tbe ap])fa ancts of having been suffocated. If death wis immediate a bruise would not have timo to show.

| Mr Robinson, farmer, said that he was riding along the Picton road yesterday i Horning. Found deceased lying on the road about a quarter ol a mile from Nolan's, lie was lying on the centre of the road in about ten inches of water. He was partly covered with water, his head being completely under. He was cold and dead when he pulled him out of the water. Tried every means to restore animation, but in \aiu. About live minutes after lmding the body some young men came up. but nothing more was done to try and restore life. It was about UoO when he found the body. Had passed the empty trap and horse about a quarter of a mile on the .south side of Tua Marina, galloping to Blenheim at a run* away pa^e. The water at the Flat was half way up tbe saddle Haps on horoeback. could see no reason why au accustomed driver should not get along the road safely. The cape of the coat on the body was wound round the head. I

The Coroner said th it Messrs Nolan and Mdver were iv readire^ to give evidence,

but that their evidence wa3 only of secondary importance.

Th» jury ir. ti mated that they did not wiah to hear this evidence.

The Coroner then made a few remarks, lie ?aid that the death was a very s f range a' d simple one, having taken place in a few i iches of water. The evidence before them was that he came by his death through suffocation

After two or three minutes' retiremet t, the jury brought in the following verdict ; " Fou d dead in the water, but there was no evidence to show how he came by his de>th."