INQUEST AT HENLEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13889, 29 April 1907, Page 2

INQUEST AT HENLEY.

An inquest was held on Saturday at the White House, Ilenlcy, into the circumstances connected with the death of Jamrs Mcirs, ■whoso body was found in a -ditch on the Henley-Berwick road on Thursday. 25th inpt. The inquiry tool: place bofoie Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr, John Stevenson was chosen foreman.

Dr M'Cormick, Milton, wlia had examined tlie body, slated ilir.t lliore was a bruise or red ma-k over the right eyebrow and round the angle of the eye. There was also a, bruise 011 the right cheek bone, another on tha light side of tlio nose, and a frmvture of the cartilege of (lie nose. He thought deceased hail possibly fallen on his faco; the injuries were not such as would be likely to. have been inflicted by any weapon. Thoro v.T.ve no other marks of violence on the body. He made inquiries as to the circumstances under which the body was found, and liatl formed the opinion that. ■ death _ was caused by drowning. Tho was lying face downwards in the ditch, and consequently there were no signs of froth or other indications of death by drowning. The water where deceased was found in was stagnant. There iva3 mud in the nastrib of deceased when tlio body was found. Alexander llitcheii, fn.rm overseer at Henley, slated that he knew deceased by sight,' On Thursday morning about 0 o'clock, when driving on (lie Ilenley-Berwick road, lm attention- was drawn by i person who was driving another vehicle to a h:dy lying in the ditch. Thcro was nbcut 2ft of water in the ditch at the time, but. the water had been higher, as the tide was going out. Tlio body was fully dressed exoo;)! the hat, and the face vrr.s below the water. There vvcvft no signs of . e trn»gle oi vio'ence. When witness returned from the Berwick School a little later the body was still in the water, and there were two or three persons about. The body was allowed to remain in the water until the arrival oi Constable Clrr.ham: The« was nothing lying about, in the vicinity of the body to indicate how deceased had got into the ditch.

Catherine M'Rcgg, mother cf the licence of the White House Hotel, Henley, stated that sho knew the deceased, who was a labourer, and mi old-fige pensioner. He lived at Berwick, and did casual work in the neighbourhood. Witness did not know whether deceased was married 01 whether ne> had any relatives. She la.it saw him alive at. the hotel on the 2Uh inst., when lie caino out from town, tmd hud his -tea. no hud no spirituous liquor, and loft about 7 p.m. with a bottle of whisky, which was supplied to him. Deceased \va3 perfectly sober whon ho left; there were 110 si grin of drink on him, and witness did not think he had had any liquor.

To Constable Graham: The cork in tho bottle of whisky waa not drawn when dc» ceased left.

Margaret Blake, wifo of John Blake, surfaceman, staled that she knew deceased. He loft, liis horse with witness shout 8.30 or. Wednesday morning, and stot<tf that ho wes going lo town. About 7.30 u.m. ho returned, anil witness saw her little girl holding the horse while deceased wn.s putting cm ths saddle. The horse seemed a quiet animal. Thero we.ro in signs of drink on deceased. He was very shafcy and frail, but was in tho same condition in tho morning. Deceased had a battle of whisky in liis right hand coat pocket. Witness saw him ride away, and the last words he said was that ho wits going to see someone about'a piece of ground to be buried in. It was moonlight when deceased rede away, and witnoss cm td not s?o whether the bottle wes open cr not. James Lawson, farmor, Berwick, stated that ho had known deceased slightly for 15 or 1G years. The deceased was formerly a miner, but lately he wag only fit for odd . jobs. On the (ley ho left Berwick to go to' town lie vodo witness's horse. The animal wag very qniot, and it returned to witness's house on Wednesday night, 2-llh inst-, without saddle or bridle. A neighbour, of witness's had takon elf 1l«v saddle and bridle. The neighbour resided about a quarter of ft mile away, and when the animal arrived at hi 3 plaeo the saddle was hanging on the offi side, and the "reins were hanging between tile horse's feet. '

Can«;a|)le Graham, ota.tioped at Outrain, stated thsfc lie found the' body lying in a ditch Git wide-by ttt deep. There was about 2ft of water in 1h« ditch at tho time. Tho hat of 'deceased was floating on tho water ucor by.\ Tho body was removed to the Henley Hall. There wero no marks on the body except those described by the medical witness. A. pipe, knife, tobacco, two handkerchiefs, and a receipt for an account wbro found on tho body. Thero wero no signs about tlio plg.ee to indioito how dqecareil got into the ditch. Tho grass on tho bplcs was high, and there were a number of rushes. Witness found two bottles in the creek, but neither of them appeared to have "teen wett for some time. There was no indication that 1 deceased had struggled after getting into tho ditch. Ho had dragged tho ditch and had Reached carefully for Hie missing bottle, . hut had been unablo to find it.

The Coroner said from tho evidence thero was no ca.uso - to suspect foul playi' Tho fact of tho saddlo being found hanging on tho off side of t]ia horse agreed- with tho bruises o/i deceased's faco, and tho possibility was that he had fallen off his horse into tho ddtcln It did not seem as if "ho had luid any liquor, or that ho hod opened the bottle anl helped himself to its contents. The evidence did not go in tho direction of showing that ho was addicted to taking drink to' oxcess, and death, sa far as could be soon, was apparently tho result of an accidental fall'from a horse.

The Jury returned a, vcrdictj that deceased was found drowned l on tho 35th inst., and that death had probably been caused by drowning after falling from a horse.