MYSTERIOUS DEATH NEAR PANMURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8669, 11 September 1891, Page 5

MYSTERIOUS DEATH NEAR PANMURE.

FOUND DROWNED IN A WELL. Great consternation and excitement provailed within the precincts of the Salvation Home, 'Pan mil re Road, on Thursday morning by the startling discovery that one of the inmates had been drowned in the well in the grounds of the institution. The unfortunate man proved to be Mr. R. C. Bull, who was about 02 years of age. lie was missed from the Homo by the authorities about six o'clock in the morning, and a thorough search was immediately instituted, the result of which was that one of the back windows was discovered to have been opened, and the lid of the well was also found to have been raised. Suspicion was at once aroused that the man had thrown himself, or had fallen, into the well, and dragging operations were at once commenced, a rake attached to the end of a rope being used for the purpose. After a short time the body was dragged to the surface and carried into the building. Life was quite extinct. Captain Turton, the ofliccr in charge of the Home, states that deceased was last seen alive by him at about half-past eight o'clock on the previous evening, on which occasion he had not noticed anything exceptional to be the matter with hirn. He had been an inmate of the institution for about three months, and was generally, looked upon as quite harmless, though sometimes somewhat eccentric in his habits and general character. He had doubtless seen better days, and was a well-educated man. Nothing whatever was known to . show whether he had any relatives or frionds in the colony or elsewhere. The matter was reported to the police by Captain Turton, and an inquest will be held by Mr. S. Luke, district coroner, on Friday.