CORONER'S INQUEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 94, 2 March 1864, Page 4

CORONER'S INQUEST.

DEA Til U1" DKOWX IX G. A>- inquest- was held ves,rci\lav, at the rcsiJcnce ol Dr. FrasiMvn, .N'orih ' hhoiv. "bi-luiv T. if. Philsou Ksq., M.D., foroi.fr, 0:1 llu- 1,.>..y of Hubert Liiobw \>'ho Diet with his iit:::!i nv drowning, o.i Mou.lat last.'

Ka.iih 1.. Frarikiyn tk-po.-ed: lam the wife of Ue-.ry liov.les l-ranklyii, who :=• a L!a-i.,-lor of iluji.ine. residing at Tukapuna, ::eur the Xortli Head. I knew deceased ; he ha.l been Maying at uur bouse for the laot three weeks. His general health was good except that he was subject to epileptic tits, of which i witnessed three, since be came to the North Shore. Xearly a week ago I saw him in a severe one. 1 last fciiw him alive on Sunday night, February 2bth, about 10 o'clock, at which time he was in his usuo.i health. Yesterday morning, February ;'.i>th, 1 heard deceased stirring about the house between the hours tf 6 and 7 o clock. I did not see him. lie lighted the lire and awept the room. H« had u!sj been leading. I heard him going out of the house ; ] rrsissed him for pome time, but took no notice of it w.L first, but when breakfast wuh ready I went to the beach to look for him, but was unable to find hii.-i. I then looked for him in the garden, but he n-aa noi there. Perceiving that the .vater-buckets were missing 1 became alarmed an.l returned to the beach. 1 then discovered the buckets tloating in the bay, and ou looking attentivi ly I sjhw the body of deceased floating on the back nen.-ths? buckets. I immediately went into the water and drew the body ou shore.

The depth of the water wnere I found the body -.vas rather more I bun l-.to feet. The body wa3 quite cold; I could not perceive liny signs of life. As there was no one in the house I remained by the body for half-an-hour; I then went to Captain Wynyard's, und mentioned the matter to him. He sent Mr. Vercoe to take charge of the bodv. Mr. Ve-coe and one of the tailors of 11.M.5. ' L'uracoa, , came and removed the bo.ly from the beach to the room in our house, where it now lies.

Joseph La wry Vei-coe deposed : X am a settler residing at the JS'orlh Head. YesU-rdav, February 2'Jth, between the hours of 'J and 10 o'clock, ii.ni., 1 met Captain W'ynyard, who informed me. lliat young Gibbi-s will diovvtied. In company with John U. Xorman, a Hcmmm of 11.M.5. ' Curouoa,' I proceeded to the beach near ]Jr. Fmnklyn's residence, where 1 saw Ihe dead bo.ly i)f deeajsed iyin>; w.ih his feet touching the walei-, and the heal" higher up, clear ol the water. Life was quilo extinct. 'J'lie corpse was clothed completely except t.at the limd was bare. 1 did not See any blood about ihe body nur any murks of violence except some slight scratches on (lie head. We hud thr body removeJ Uito tin- 1 knew deceased, an.l am alile to identify his bo ly. When tile tide receded a cap was picked up on the beach, which I as belonging; to deceased. Henry Bowies Fninkhn deposed : i inn a I'ai-lie-]or of .Medicine, and reside at Takapuna, North Shore. 1 knew deci ased ; he was reuiding at my house, and was under iny medical charge on a-xount of epiliptio tits, to win ji lie. had been subject. lie had several cpiL ptic ijtssinie be ca-nie to my house, now neurly tliree weeks. Some of them were very severe. When attacked he would instantly fall and struggle violently Whon I was at home I always kept near him lor fear of accidents ; but yesterday I happened to be aba. lit visiting a sick child, and on mv 'return home I tbun.l him dead. Krom the appca.aiice of the- body I am satisfied .that he died from drowning. Tlu-iv are no marks on his bo ly. i)oceas«>U wee Z& yews oi aje. ily couciuaiou is that

deceased while (joins; to the spr.u;; f.;r water, waseized with a fit,'and lay on tin,- bea.h unt.l the tul, rose and drowned him. I Inst saw him alive on Sundnv moini >g. February 2S. To the Foreman : At high-water, the livsh-wnter .spring is ovcrllowed by the springtides. Verdict —Found drowned.