CORONER'S INQUEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 897, 28 September 1866, Page 6

CORONER'S INQUEST.

A. Corojteb's inquiry was held yesterday afternoon, at the Kailway Terminus Hotel, Official Bay, before Dr. Philson, touching the death of Joseph Blaekburn, who was found drowned near the breakwater, Smales' Point, on Wednesday afternoon last. A jury hiring been sworn, and Mr. Henry Carroll chosen foreman, they proceeded to view the body, after which the following evidence •was taken:— Charles Alderton, sworn, deposed: I am ap--prenticed to Mr. Duthie, ship-builder. About 3 o'cloek on Wednesday afternoon last we were ■comiug ashore in a boat from the barque Kate Waters, when we saw the body of a man floating on its back off the breakwater. We immediately reported the tact to the police, when they went and picked the body up, and took it to the dead-house. I did not know deceased. Police-sergeant Jeriris, sworn, stated: I re«eived the body of deceased at the dead-houso, on Wednesday afternoon last, from Constables O'Hara and Ternahan. The face was niuch decomposed and injured, and the body was clothed in seaman's attire. I found no money or papers on deceased, neither were there any marks of Tiolence about the body. I could not identify the body, but upon enqury I was told by a perjiOD named Whitling that deceased's name was Joseph Blackburn, and that he came out here in ;the Kob Eoy.

Arthur Whitling deposed: I reside at the Depot, Official Bay. I was present <wben the body was brought to the dead house ■on Wednesday afternoon last, and [ at once identified it a» the body of Joseph Blackburn, a Bailor who came out in the ship Rob Hoy with me from London, by its clothing and general Appearance. I last saw him, about a week ago, da Queen-street, when he told me he had left <tb.e ship and was out of work. Captain Peterson, master of the eutter Smuggler, deposed. Hearing that a dead body had been found, I went to the dead house and at once ret Cognised deceased as Joseph Blackburn, a sailor <on board my vessel; he shipped with me on Friday last. Deceased left the vessel in the boat &boat half-past twelve on Saturday night 2ast, since which time he was not seen until he was •picked up in harbour yesterday. It was a fine clear night. Un Sunday morning early I found the boat tied to and washed underneath the wharf, and deceased was missing. He took the boat to put Borne men on board the Helen S. Page, there being no waterman on the wharf at dfcfi time. About noon on Monday I found the Ik>*C smashed up under the wharf, about 15 yards off the vessel. I do not know the man .that deeeased took on board. When 1 last saw -deceased h.e was perfectly sober. I should say 3ie was about 30 years of age. I reported de■ceased's absence to the police.

Frederick Goths, sworn, stated: lama sailor (belonging to the Helen S. Page, barque, now ■lying in harbour. I neyer knew deceased until I saw him on the wharf on Saturday night last, about 12 o'clock. I had come ashore from the barque in her boat to bring off the captain and .«ome of the men. Deceased was standing •oa ihe wharf at the time, talking to a waterman. 1 joined in conversation with him, and finding :the captain did not come, I went on board the .cutter with deceased, at his request, to wait for •our. captain. I went down in tho cabin with 'him, and there were two other men down there ■then. I stopped in the cabin about a hour and A half, and when I went on the wharf again I found our boat had gone off- We had two •glasses of rum each down below, which deceased ■Sr&ve us, as also some bread and meat. As I had no money to pay my fare off, I went back,to the •cutter to see if deceased would lend me his boat i« go on board with and I would return it, and he offered to put me on board himself. Deceased fot permission, to take the boat, and said that e ought to put me on board as he was the causfe-of my losing our boat. Deceased sculled me off to the barque, and put me on board. .He did not go on board our vessel td; all. j£ saw him. leave our ship to go .onshore at past one o'clock. It was a fine night, and J watched him a long way off, about 50 yards, sitting down and sculling. Deceased was • not quite sober, but I was. The boat was a good -•sued one and quite safe for a sober man. I did Hot know anything about the accident until the ,water police came, on board and enquired ■for me this morning. I have seen the body ; and recognize it as that of deceased. .Witness was cross-examined at some length 'by Captain Petersen and the Foreman of the r.jurjybut.nothing material was elicited further .than that he heard some seaman on the wharf -threaten-to fight deceased, and said he would watch for him to pay off an old grudge. After a; short consultation the jury returned an open verdict of, '.'.found drowned, but how er by wlut means there is no evidence to show." i