INQUEST AT ST. CLAIR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12935, 30 March 1904, Page 7

INQUEST AT ST. CLAIR.

An- inquest was held. at. : St. Clair yesterday in6'rnin'g on the.body of Jamos C-ouston, who :is supposed t'c have drowned hiinsslf in the surf' at the Ocean Bcoch oh Friday lash Mr G, C. coroner, conducted' tlio inquest, and Mr l> Fcmvick was chosen foreman; of tho "iniy. ;.Harol(Vlieslic. Isaac, e'er.!; in the Damage Board's - service,'-.said' that on Friday, at 3:45 .p.m., lie wr.s on the Sandhills. at- Tithuha Billkj :atid':&jiw a iiilly-t?resscd liiau %yalk int.o ihe There was it bi» 'swell tunning. Witness sfucl : to \V ; illi:im 'jiicliacJi "IhaVs .a peculiar. -:for a man. to do." and ihev went with a.-third jWrsori down.'to the beach to see what Wits jtfp* They saw tjio man lie down in thfc thfcii ' jump up and run out into deep water. Two ot them undressed Uiicl went ii'i after him, a.na yrjicn in the water ?aw' him in.tb(? swell outside .tile, breakers, but on. getting out' tlicy saw . iio.thi.ns of him, arid se'urncd f.o shore; "licsS reported the occiurer.c? to Sergeant Conn. Vviltiarri 'Frederick Splitlr., warder M. wf®: • 'Benevolent Instituiion, deposed tbat lie frutid "•ihc body o{ the deceased r.t the edge of u.io ficlo- about 1.20 p.m.. on: Monday, Witness told i'.some men who were on. the drainage work?,, 'ihjtf got one. to stand by the bociy while he went ;to inform tliQ police.. .. . • jphn T. idcntifled'ili.P body <ts that' of ifames Coii.slio'ii, his tyitnes* j as .t saw him alive on the 17th i-nst. He was than i apparently in a poor strtto ,ojf ; hcrijlli, and lowspirited. He. was habit.ua.'ly low-suirited 'of a .melanehojii* te.nip'c-rnrnc.iit. Ho -waff* Wltr ;ne?s und.ersipotl. tinder mccupal ircalinpivt at. •Ash'burn Hall fo.r about' 12 years a'so, but hadsho'vn .iio relnrii pi achnl insanity since. his marriage. AVitneS* tho.ught he. had fcee.n worrying liccdlfusiy of .ate about business nffr.frs. He .had {hrt-aiefted. to do away with hiinsc-.U, and tji.ero had bcfih 110 'domestic troiibiq of any kind, ho being oil the yc'ty best of terms' with fill hi.s fairly. The .Jury relumed a to tho effect that. deceased coniniijted suicide, while, in, a.U' unsound state oi.uii.nd..