DEATH BY DROWNING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 219, 26 July 1864, Page 3

DEATH BY DROWNING.

An inquest was hold in the Exchange Ilotel, Onohunga, yesterday, before T. M, Philson, Coroner, and VW f Mr. T. Turnbuil vraa foreman, on the body o( John Pennington, who was accidentally drowned c/n the Ist instant.

Joseph Hastie, sworn, said: lam a corporal in the Auckland Police, and am stationed at Onehuiiga. On Friday, July 22nd inst., information was brought to me by Mr. John Robinson, of Ororano-i, that he had found the dead body of a man on the besich at Mangari, opposite to "Wecke's Island. I procured ii boat; went to the spot, and saw the dead body. It was half aillcrnt an the shore, with the face downward. The clothes were 011 the body. I put the body into a collhi, which I had brought with me for the put-pose, and conveyed it to the Royal Exchange Hotel, at Ouelmnga, where it now lies. On examining the body, I saw that it was that of a man about five feet seven inches 111 height. The back part of the head was covered with dark brown hair. The skin had disappeared from the face. I saw an appearance of fracture or violence. The feet were in a pair of short boots, with grey worsted socks. The legs were clothed with a pair of light cording- trousers ; the upper part of the body with a red Crimean shirt, dark cloth waistcoat, and blue cloth coat, in one of the pockets oi which I found a black bottle full of ruin. 111 the trousers pocket. I found a carpenter's 2 It. rule. In the vest pocket I found a purse containing 8s ; 3d., also several papers, viz,—u receipt for i-'3O los. irom the Provincial Treasury, in favour of Mr. John Pcimiugtou, dated June 23, ISGt; also a letter from S. Pennington, evidently the wife of Jolni Pennington, and dated Shellield, April 14; also 2 keys and a small pocket knife. All these I now produce in Court. I have been informed that there is a box belonging to John Pennington in a store in Onehunga. I have 110 personal knowledge of deceased.

John Kobinsorr, being sworn, said: I am a settler residing at JUangarei. On Friday, July 22iul inst., between the hours of 11 and 12 "o'clock in the forenoon, when on my way to Onehtmga, I was told by my son that he had found the deacl body of a man on the beach about halt* a mile from my house. I took my son to Onehunga,. and gave information to the police, and on my return in the evening I wentto the Bpot and saw the body. It was in a state of decomposition, and lay on its face, and was dressed as described by the last witness. I saw the body removed on Saturday, July 23rd inst., by corporal Hr>stie. I have no knowledge of deceased. Alfred SoAtluUl, being sworn, said : I am a furnace man in the employment of Sir. Frazier, residing in Auckland. J have jutt seen ad ad body lying in a room in the Exchange Hotel, in Onehunga, and I identify it 113 the body of John Pennington, who I heard ii:u] been ilroivncd out of the 'Prince Alfred,' steamer, at Onehunga, about- three weeks ago. I recognize the coat worn by deceased. J last saw him alive in Auckland 011 June 23rd lilt. He was then in good health. He was a carpenter, belonging to Shellield. lie came out io New Zealand by the ship

' Bombay.' I was a fellow passenger. We arrived in Auckland in December, 1863. He worked for Air. Thorpe, builder, in Auckland. "When I last saw him he told >ne that lie was about to proceed to the W'aikato to work for j\lr. Thorpe. He said he intended to go by the ' Prince Alfred,' steamer, then iu Onehunga harbour.

"William fcncll, being sworn, said : I am a boarding house keeper, in Onehunga. 1 have this day seen a dead body in the lixehaime Hotel which I can identify.by the clothing as that of John Pennington, whom I lust saw alive 011 or about July Ist inst. At that date he was in my house, about 7 o'clock in the evening. He stopped at- my house five or six days, 011 his way to the Waikato bv the ' Prince Alfred,' stcanie:'. About 7 o'clock next morning 1 heard that he was drowned out of the steamer 'Prince Allied.' "When I (00k icave of him, he was perfectly sober. Ido not know anything of the bottle of rum found in deceased's pocket. Ho did not leave any property in my house. Frederick Pcarce, being sworn, said : I am a seaman, lately belonging to the ' Prince Allred' steamer, and at present live at Onehunga. I have seen a dead body in a collin at the Exchange Hotel, which 1 identify easily as the body of John Pennington, whom 1 took 011 board the ' Prince Allied,' from Onehunga, 011 or about the beginning of the present month. It was about 11 o'clock at night when we got 011 board. "When deceased got on board lie went to the starboard side of the deck, and seemed to stumble over the bulwarks into the water. The bulwarks at this point, are about a foot and a half high. I saw him fall over, and heard the plunge into the water. I immediately went to the side of the vessel and saw deceased ris'e to the surface. I called to him to lay hold of the painter of a boat that was near. Seeing that, he missed his hold of this rope, 1 and the ship's cook got into the ' Prince Alfred's' boat, and put oil' to his assistance, but were unable to find him. Before this, the life buoy had been thrown towards deceased by order of Captain Lowrie, who was 011 board at the time. The steamer was moored alongside ol the ' M oacoal hulk. "We continued to search for deceased for about 20 minutes but without avail. The life lines were not up at the place where deceased fell overboard. The jurv found the following verdict-; " That deceased was drowned accidental!}* by falling overboard of the ' Prince Alfred,' steamer, in the harbour of Onehunga, 011 Friday, July 1, ISGI-."