THE DROWNING FATALITY AT THE BUTT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3094, 3 April 1897, Page 3

THE DROWNING FATALITY AT THE BUTT.

Particulars of the Accident. The Inquest. Tho following particulars of _ the sad drowning accident in tho Hutt River have been ascertained, and show that Mrs Hope, Miss Elizabeth Hope (a daughter by his first wife) and Armetta Hope, a stven old baby of Mrs Hope, went from Stokes Valley to Silvcratream Station to see Mr Hope off by the Wairarapa train on Ihursday morning. On returninghomo the mishap occurred, Mies Hope, who was not an adept at the reins, driving. A short distance past Mr tho wheel tracks show tho trap ran back and veered into tho riverside of tho road, bursting over tho hedge of gorao and precipitating the occupants down a steep incline of jagged rock into tho river, which at this point is not more than 2ft deep, the trap and horse following them down tho bank, and pinning the unfortunate ladies by tho knees underneath tho splashboard on the right-hand side of the trap. Hero they lay some time. Br Purdy, on bis bicycle, passed ; Mr Morgan, of Akatarawa, in his trap 5 a patent medicine vendor, with his vehicle;.arid a buggy, with lady and gentleman, also wont by; but none noticed that an awful accident had occurred. 4 Finally, Mr Alexander McCulloch, in ms express, came along. Ho noticed peculiar wheel-marks, but drove past. Not feeling satisfied within Limsolf, ho fastened up his horse and walked back to the bent down gorse-busb, and, looking into tho river, was horrified to see two ladies’ upturned faces glaring at him from out of 13 inches of water. Ho recognised them; immediately obtained assistance, having first satisfied himself they were dead, and proceeded to lift tho bodies. Tho trap was turned completely over, but so shallow was the water that tho bottom of tho trap was high and dry. Tho ladies, had they boon in possession of their senses, could have sat up in the river with the water only up to their armpits. It is conjectured they fainted or wore stunned in tho fall, and lay in the river until respiration Was stopped by tho water. The poor baby lay dead in six inches cf water a short distance from its mother, the bottle with its food being found unbroken close

to it. . . . , Tho naro, a very qliiet animal, jvas-'fonna attached to tho vehicle by tho harness, unhurt, its haunches resting on the bank and its nos© near the footboard of the overturned trap; indeed, when tbo blinds and harness were cut, it did not attempt to move until commanded. Cnly in Miss Hope’s case is there any indication of a struggle. Probably tho water brought her out of her unconscious state, but she hdd not strength to sit up. Mr Hope was in towh trdfisaphng business, and his whereabouts were not traceable; At 5.30 p.m. Mr Hope suddenly turned up at the house of a friend, utterly oblivious of the calamity which had befallen him, although ho had an evening paper in his pocket announcing the accident briefly. Tho sad nows was imparted to him, and for three hours his friends bad an anxious time; as ho was almost bereft of reason. The Police Bopartment very kindly placed a corteous constable at the services of Mr Hope’s friends, and they speak in no measured tbrms of praise of tho manner in _ Which he sought to assist them. Ultimately ho Was tainted arid passed a 1 most uneosy night, and was fakoxi oiit tb bis homo by his friends yesterday morniflg. The bodies had boen, removed to Mr Hope’s residents* btokoa’ Valley, whore an inquest was held yesterday afternoon by Mr James Ashcroft, Coroner* Tne first witness called A*ASj Br Purdy, Who liad ihftdS ah e* amination of the bodies. Ho stated that Mrs Hope was badly bruised above tho left hip and there was a slight bruise on tho forehead. Tbo bruise was probably caused by Mrs Hope pitching forward on the edge, pf the cart. Thd girl hdd.ito ■Haibl© bruises* but tho baby hid d fbark bn thh fdcb: There w£ia nu sigh of ahy ; bbhcß being, broken in', either body. The faces tad a placid expi‘e3aiori* which was usual with drowned persons. Ho had UP doupt the cause of death was drowning In ea.cn oag(h . ... Alexander McCulloch* who found tbs bodies, sfild iinat ttfc abpiat Thursday, wbi e driving from thU Lbw£r Hiitt to Silverstream, ho saw wheel marks of a trap' oij the side.of the road near the bond known as? tlio Gcfgb- Hillr The toad ..this point*'and where' witness saw arie rndrHfl it was about 15 or 20 feet’ above the river. He got down saw a bush disturbed on tho road-side, and ou looking further down be saw tho body of tbo trap upside doWb In tbo water. Ho then saw two bodies on thoir thicks nnder Waier, pinnett by the splashboard. He recognised tlio trail Jjf dtfO'S.Seeing that ho could not do anything byliifiigoU, he obtained the assistance of two men. They got the horse, which was fastened to the trftpj out firsfy Haul then pushed tbo trap off the bodies, tviiiSh pinned *t the knees. After gfetting Miss Hope’s body out; wltfiesfi fouhd.the baby lyirig in near the bank. All three bodies werfedeadand cold. His opinion was tliat something caused the Horae to Stop, &s it was going up the hill, and that would mak<s the trap go back, THe 'driver had probab'y pulled oh the and this would . causa the horse to rush back, and the effect ttotUd be With d. slight tUrn.of the hors© tp i cause, tho.cart. ii>. gtj oH.t tHe bfthk*., 'The trap was. further.qut 111 .the .stream thiih thb hpcso. Thq women no-doubt thrown backwards into the.water, Mid there was, two or three feet ;of water over them. Some thro© or four months ago the County Council had their attention called to this particular spot as being dangerous,- and that it required fencing for about a chain or two. Had this part been fenced the accident could not have occurred.

Francis Phillips corroborated McCulloch’s evidence, and other evidence of an unimportant character was given by several witnesses.. . „

The jury, of which lli ; .6. Dfnihmoild foreman, rbtiirnfcd a verdict; that death was caused by accidental drowning; arid added a ruler to tho effect that they desired to call thb attention b£ the County Council to the dangerous state of both gorges for vr'dnt of fencing, as the bicycle traffic on the road is very great; and horses wbre often startled.

Tho iriare and trap, were used all driy yesterday; and tho duly injury done to the harness wiis tho throe cuts made td release it from the horse. The funeral has beeti arranged tq take place on Sunday nest at tho Taita public fcemetery, . _ \,. . .