A MAN DROWNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5760, 4 May 1880, Page 4

A MAN DROWNED.

About half-past 6 ye3terday evening Captain Jackson, of the a.s. Gemini* s ',** 51 walkiDg down the Queen-street Wharf v 8 saw a mac, who was a short distance ahe S of him, turn round, and deliberately over the wharf, and drop into the wal- - spot was near the lamp-post, which"' half-way between the watermen's ate™ the North Snore Ferry tee. It wa3 dark at the time, but, as clearly a3 Captain "Jacks,, could judge, the man was walking steadily and confidently. When he wht-lci to the right, his action wa3 like that of 0 turning off from the main wharf on to a Captain Jackson gave the alarm of "a m," overboard !" and instantly Captain JamS Niccol, of the a.s. Lily, who had heard the splash in the water from his vessel, lowered his boat, and sculled in the direction when* the sound had proceeded. At the sama moment, the brothers Hunt started fromVe watermen's house to assist. Mr. Ike Hsct pulled toward the drowning man, his brother ran to one of the life-buoys to reach which, and throw it the water, was only the work of a few seconds; but although the buoy was pitched to where the man could easily hire grasped it, he made no effort to do so. ]; ]j e had not been seen to fall into tlis har'otnr no act of his would have given warnin ■ of his danger. He neither cried out nor ° it. tempted to save himself in any way, Imt >av upon the surface of the water, face down, ward. Mr. Hunt's boat was the first to reach him, and he was promptly hauled i-to it by Messrs. Hunt and Kiccol, the latter having arrived where the mau -was floating about the same time. The unfo:tacat| person, when drawn out of the xraier was breathing heavily. He was tptedijy conveyed to the office of the water.poHce. Dr. Dawson was sent for, and in the mean' time various means to induce recovery were employed. The patient was relieved of a portion of his clothing, then he was laid oa his breast, and gently rolled from si ie to side. While undergoing this treatment, a considerable quantity of salt water escaped from his month. He seemed to bs progress ing favourably, and some were of opinion that little or no danger existei. Altera, time he was turned on his back, and tee endeavours to restore consciousness were continued. Suddenly he ceased to breathe An eye-witness was of opinion that he was suffocated through being unable to freely . get rid of the water from his stomach. Dr. Dawson, upon arrival pronounced life to be extinct. Xot more than five minutes could have elapsed from the time the man fell into the water until he was picked up by the boat. Upon tsinaing his pocket, a pass signed by Mr. Lawscn, Manager for Railways, was found, and this formed a clue to follow up. Finally, tha deceased was identified as James Lee, me*, senger in the Public Works Office. Lee likewise had a greengrocer's shop in the Karangahape Road. He was by trade a gardeDer, and bore an excellent character. Lee, who seemed between 45 and 50 years of age, leaves a wife and large family. A person who saw the body stated that he had walked with him about a week ago, and that deceased was in excellent spirits then. The body was conveyed to the deadhouse yesterday evening. It is a somewhat strange coincidence that the place where poor Lee walked over the wharf is the same where the well-known Charles Rowley—likewise a Government servant—was drowned a few years ago. Many persons think that Lee turned round and walked in a fresh direction under the impression that he was proceeding oa to a tee. An inquest will probably be held as to the cause of his death.