DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE AT SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7222, 10 January 1885, Page 5

DISTRESSING OCCURRENCE AT SEA.

DEATH OF MR. MATHERS. |by telegraph.— association.] Wellington, Friday. Mr. Banks, chief officer of the ship Opawa, which arrived from London last night, reports that on Sunday last Captain Mathers, who had been ailing for a fortnight, jumped overboard and was drowned. A boat was lowered, and he was picked up in less than 10 minutes. Restoratives were applied, but without avail. The following is the chief officer's report : — " At seven bells, on Sunday, the 4th instant, the master, Captain Mathers, came on deck. It was my watch at the time. He had a sextant in his hand, and he remained conversing with me till he had taken the sun for noon in the usual way. He had been ailing for several days, and complained of pains in the cheat. At; about one p.m. the same day he came to me and said he would lie down, and desired to be called at dinner time, at four p.m. I did so, and he stated ho felt worse, and told me to go to dinner without him. After dinner I went to his cabin, and found him worse. He was up and dressed. Seeing that his mind was affected, I got him to bed, and then left him in charge of the chief steward in order to get some medicine. At five minutes to seven p.m. he got up and dressed. At seven p.m. he went forward closely followed by the steward. He reached the forecastle head, and suddenly tried to jump over the starboard, side but being prevented he said .he would go quietly aft. Hearing the captain had left the cabin, i ran out, only reaching the after hatch in time to see him leap from the forecastle ladder on to the starboard pigsty e, and then over the side. I immediately gave the necessary orders, and rushed on to the poop, seized the after starboard life baoy and tarew it within a foot or two of him. 1 then superintended the lowering of the life-boat, which was in the water in four minutes. The captain was picked np about a quarter of a mile away in ten minutes from the time he was first in the water. Mr. Campbell, the second officer, who was in the boat, states that Captaiu Mathers was under water, head down, when picked up. Everything was done to bring him round, but I consider life wa3 extinct when he reached the ship. In faint hopes, however, of restoring life, I had him rubbed with hot blankets for over two hours and a-half. At a quarter to eleven p.m., being certain life was extinct, I had him washed and laid out." Captain Mathers was a gentleman long and favourably known in Wellington, having made several trips here. He was 37 years of age, and leaves a widow and small family in Scotland. No reason can be assigned for his jumping overboard, but it is believed that illness had deranged his mind. It was noticed for a fortnight previously that the deceased was far from being in his usual state of mind, though his condition was not considered to be serious. The body of Captain Mathers was brought oahore ' - is afternoon, and takt.u to the morg ic» An inquest will he hek' to-morro''.-.