SAD DROWING CASE.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 26

SAD DROWING CASE.

MR C. A. DEACON FOUND IN THE HARBOUR,

Early on Tuesday morning a search party. on the lookout for the body of the young man Rattray, who was drowned recently while bathing at Oriental Bay. unexpectedly discovered the body of a well-known and highly-respected citizen some five yards under the wharf at Jervois quay. The body was hanging face downwards, v.ith one arm over a striner, and was quickly identified as that of Mr Charles Adolphus Deacon, a wellknown local shipping and Customs agent and sharebroker. Mr Deacon was a native of Devonshire. and has a brother in holy orders in that county. His early manhood was passed in London, and he came out to the colonies about thirty years ago. He liveci for many years on the West Coast, and at one time acted as purser on board a steamer running between Wellington, Hokitika and Greymeuth. _ In January, 1877, he came to Wellington as representative of Messrs N. Edvards and Co. When that firm retired from business in 1880. Mr Deacon founded tbe business”with which his name has ever sin.ee been associated. From the position in which the body was discovered, Mr Deacon, on finding himself in the water, must have swum some distance to reach the stringer, round .which he had apparently flung his arms in a vain endeavour to save himself. The. stringer is some 20ft from the wharf’s edge. The tide hod been on the ebb for over two hours w’.en the bodv was found, and as a witness at- the inquest, held at the Morgue during the afternoon, stated, the body was only supported by one arm. the grasp of the other having become more and more relaxed, and the head hanging lowo; down as the tide fell. A strong point- was made of this, as it accounted for the marks on deceased’s face, which gave rise, to some sensational rumours. Dr Tripe’s evidence was conclusive on that point, however. The injuries on deceased’s face were caused after death. The last man who saw and spoke to - deceased, and all who had done so on Monday night, noticed his bright and cheerful manner. Mr Flanagan. a Customhouse officer, saw Mr Deacon on ’ the wharf at about 1 a.m.. and the deceased bade him a cheery good morning. At the same time, there can be iittTe s doubt from tbe evidence of Mv Deacon’s ! e’erk at the inquest that deceased was worried financially. Mr W. G Tustin ; stated he believed sincerely that, in i consequence of suffering from insomnia. deceased had fallen into the water, lie : supported tins statement by reference to various occasions on which Mv Pea- ’ eon had fainted from excessive exhaustion. the consequence of prolonged i sleeplessness. Reference was also made to an accident deceased had met with i some three years ago, when he was nearly drowned. Dr Tripe, on making a post-mortem, found all the ormans healthy, also the usual evidences' 5 *f drowning. The jury, after a little discussion eventually returned a verdict of found drowned, there being no evidence to show how deceased got into the water