INQUEST.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 778, 9 October 1878, Page 2

INQUEST.

A coroner's inquiry was held this morning at the Royal Hotel before T. A. Clowes, Esq., Acting-Coroner, touching the death of James Mitchell, surveyor. The following evidence was taken :

George King deposed : I am a laborer employed by the deceased. I remember Tuesday, the' 10th of October. On that day I saw the deceased. We started from Rocky Point, where our camp was, about S o'clock that morning. I drove the express about four miles down the road on our way to the Waitaki Bridge north. The deceased was on horseback and overtook me. He asked me to ride, being lighter, and he would drive. J rode the horse as far as Harcourt's. about seven miles. We then changed again, and went as far as Ross' hotel. Some person told him he did not think we could cross the river on account of the buggy. Deceased then said he would take the buggy, and I rode one horse and led another. Deceased drove for about three miles. We crossed two or three big streams during this distance. Deceased then said I had better go in front, as the horse would carry me through safe. I went into the water about a chain ahead of the buggy, and he pointed out to me what place I was to make for. When I got into this stream the horse rolled over with me. The last time T saw deceased previous to the horse rolling over me lie was following nus through the stream. Tin'- next thing I saw Mas the buggy turning over, and 1 saw deceased twice passing me in the stream, 1 do not think he could swim. 1 only saw his head and face. He was not swimming when I saw him. The horse was clear of the buggy when 1 saw it turning over. There was nothing particularly heavy in the buggy. The river was wonderfully high on this day. Where we. were crossing was a branch of the WaitaUi water. The next time 1 saw deceased was whore his body was found, about four miles below where the accident happened, al!o« mg for the bonds of the river Donald Mackenzie deposed : lam a shepherd ao Station Peak. 1 have known deceased for about twelve months. On Thursday, 3rd October last, 1 heard that he was drowned. 1 searched for the body, whien 1 found on the following Monday, about a mile below Static,]", i.-euk. His clothes were quite in order. He was lying on his back, and I noticed nothing wrong. William Wilkin Mitchell deposed : T am a station overseer, and reside at the Wakakahi Station. I identify the body of the deceased now lying hero as that of James Mitchell, my brother. He was 43 years of age, and a native of Grail, Fifeshire, Scotland. He was a single man. He told me about two years ago that he had made his \\'ilj, This concluded the evidence, and the jury returned the iollowing verdict ; —That the deceased met with his death by drowning whilst crossing a part of the Waitaki River, and that no blame or fault is attached to anybody.