COWARDICE and INHUMANITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6829, 6 October 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

COWARDICE and INHUMANITY.

A calamity of a very sad nature is reported from Belfast. It appears that John Gerard Porter, eldest lion of Mr. Hugh Porter; Belfast, whose family is at present residing at Donaghadea, accompanied by his two younger broths, n?, Harold and Samuel, went about ten o'clock one Monday morning recently to bathe in the salt water baths of the town. Having divested themselves of their clothing they entered the tidal bath, which is about 70ft. square, the'depth of water ranging, owing to its construction, from 4ft. to (l.'fc., the height of the water being regulated by a pipe at the northern end. The deceased young geDtleman, who was aged 16, sind of fine, manly appearance and build for lliis years, had not been long in the water when., according to tho statement of his little brothers, aged eight and six years respectively, he swam into the middle of the bath, and in a few moments afterwards made tho remark to them quickly, but without indicating any feelings of excitement or even uneasiness, "Push me the lifebuoy." The younger boys, not being swimmers, were unable to do so, and seeing their brother begin to struggle in the water, rushed to the dwelling near and shouted until the inmates—all women—were alarmed and hastened to the side of the bath. Mrs. RishtOD, the proprietor's wife, and her cook.' were the first to arrive, and whilst ■former hurried outside for help, the lat'cor attempted to reach the drowning boy wi.ch a long brush. Finding this of no service she pushed the lifebuoy out, bat was unabue successfully co direct it to the spot where the poor boy, w'Jio whan she first saw Viim, had been standing with his arms thrown up, beginning to sink, and fast becoming helpless. As a last resource, she pushed forward a long piece of board used by bathers for standing on when they leave the -water. The drowning lail■could make no attempt to take hold of it. Is. the meantime two ladies— ■ Mm. Mandale and Mrs. Johnston—lodgers at Mrs. Riiihsfion's, were on the street .outBide the butha endeavouring to get some farmers and otihera who were passing at the time to come in and save the lad. 'The

conduct of Borne of the men is described as cowardly and heartless in the extreme, and words inadequately convey the feelings of indignation tbat prevailed in the neighbourhood when tho inhuman apathy of those appealed to bucame known. Before many minutes had elapsed, the place was crowded, and yet for nearly ten minutes no man or woman went into the water, nor was anything done except what was attempted on tbe part of tho cook until Mr. Richards, son of the Rev. Lewis Richards, rector of Dungannon, arrived and threw his coat off, and, j although lame, brave'y swam over to the drowning young man, whose hair, owing to its shortness, he was unable to grasp, and, in the prcsense of fifty people, young Porter sank to the bottom of the bath. His mother was visiting in the house adjoining, and when she heard of the terrible occurrence rushed out and implored a man who was on the street holding a horse by the head to lend her the reins, so that she herself might throw thera towards her boy. Tho reply of the callous fellow was that if he removed the reins " hiis horse would run away." Mrs. Porter then besought a fisherman to cope in and save her boy, but he unfeelingly replied he could do nothing, ns he could not swim. A lady named Mrs. Matthews, who is staying at Donaghadee, and a friend of Mrs. Porter, thereupon pleaded with two fishermen to como into the baths and try and rescue the unfortunate youth, but they said they did not think they could be of any use, and continued their work. The facts make the melancholy natality the more deplorable— a poor boy drowned in a bath with five feet of water iin the deepest part, and half-a-hundred people standing within 15 yards. Witnesses statu that the only individuals who attempted anything were the ladies referred ta and the servants of the baths. Mr. Kishfcon, thinking that it might be possible to empty the bath, ran to the sea end for the purpose of doing so, but the height of the fide prevented the success of the endeavour. Shortly after the alarm had been first j;;iven medical aid was sent for, and Drs. Stewart and Coates were in atttendI ance before the body was taken out of the water. This was at length accomplished I (after it had remained about 25 minutes face I downward at; till) bottom), by a coastsguardsman who had been sent for by Mrs, Joseph Matthews, and by means of a rope brought the body to the edge. The doctors, as soon as it was taken out, deolared life to be gone, and, therefore, did not apply any means of resuscitation.