A YOUNG MAN DROWNED AT CHELSEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8477, 30 January 1891, Page 5

A YOUNG MAN DROWNED AT CHELSEA.

Yesterday morning Frank Vaile, son of Mr. John K. Vaile, of Eden Valley Road, a fine lad of 16 years of aire, was drowned in a dam at Chelsea under the following circumstances :—Ho has been working for Mr. Jeremiah McCarthy, a storekeeper at the Chelsea Sugar Works, and went about, halfpast seven yesterday morning along with a son of his employer, a young man of 24, to bathe in the dam adjacent to the Sugar Works. The first to undress was McCarthy, and on getting into the water Vaile inquired as to the depth of water, when McCarthy replied it was so deep where ho was he could not find bottom. McCarthy then swam up the dam and round a bend, leaving Vaile on the bricked margin of the dam. Shortly after he called to Vaile to bring the soap. Not getting any answer he again came round the bend, and saw Vaile struggling in the water, bub making no outcry. He got out of the water, arid ran round to the edge of the dam, and reached out his hand to Vaile, who grasped his hand, pulled him into the water, and endeavoured to clutch him round the neck. As McCarthy is an indifferent swimmer, he struggled to free himself, and got clear to save"his life. The brickwork being slippery and steep, Vaile had no means of saving himself, and was apparently unable to swim to the rushes, a yard or two distant, and consequently went down in about ten feet of water. On McCarthy getting out of the water again, he ran to his brother's house, about 200 yards distant, where Mr. Jeremiah McCarthy, hearing his cries for help, came out and sped to the dam, stripped, and dived, but was unable to get the body. Mr. Miller, of the Sugar Works, getting tidings of the accident, despatched three of his men to aid in the search, namely, Messrs. John Taylor, Charles Flewellyn, and Edward Kelly, who dived lor the body, but unsuccessfully ; and other men also dived un ivailingly. Grappling irons were at last got, but two hours elapsed before the body whs secured. Meanwhile, a telephone message bad been forwarded to the Auckland police authorities, and Constable McDonnell (of the Water Police) and Constable Russell (of Newton) went over to Chelsea and removed the body to the "jorgje. During the forenoon Mr. Samuel Vaile went to the morgue, and identified the 1 ody as that of his nephew. In the afternoon the remains wore removed to the residence of the deceased's parents, Eden Valley Road. An inquest will be held today, by Dr. Philson, coroner. Very great sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents, who had a promising son taken from thorn under such distressing circumstances.