DROWNING SENSATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19761, 12 April 1926, Page 10

DROWNING SENSATION.

WANGANUI BRIDGE TRAGEDY. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST., (Erou Gob Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, April 10. The recent drowning tatality resulting in the death of Alex. Mitchell and William Hamilton was inquired into by the Coroner, Hr J. S. barton, S.M., to-day. William Charles Mitchell, son ol the deceased, said ho knew of no reason why his lather snould have gone into the river. There had been nothing unusual in his father’s conduct preceding his death, and he had acted quite normally. he knew nothing about his fathers tinahcial position or whether it had been affected as a result of the Uangitikei races. Harold Young said that on March 25 at 12.30 he was near the entrance to the town bridge, close to Messrs Johnson and Company's store. Mitchell called out to him from the bridge and asked if witness knew where ho could get a pieye of lead about six or seven pounds. Witness asked him what h e wanted it for. The deceased said he wanted to tie it on to a piece of rope with which to catch a colt which he said was in a paddock on the other side of the bridge. Witness found a piece of iron on the wharf, and the deceased said it might answer the purpose. The deceased then asked witness to procure him a piece of rope, which he did from a friend. The deceased then tied the piece of iron in the centre of the rope and witness asked him how he expected to catch a colt like that. Mitchell walked away, but aftei going a few yards he called out to witness and gave him a shilling and told him to go and have a drink. Witness then left tire deceased, and when ho returned to the wharf ho was told that a man had jumped from the bridge, it occurred to him that the man was possibly Mitchell. When Mitchell spoke to witness ne appeared to bo quite normal. In the course of conversation the deceased said that he had come from Raugitikei that morning, and had been in company with some friends and that ho had had a drink. He appeared to be tired judging by the look of his eyes. Nothing in the conversation indicated that Mitchell had had a serious re verse nt the races. Other evidence was given, after which the Coroner adjourned the inquest until Tuesday. The Coroner also intimated that he required direct evidence concerning the efforts of the men who entered the water for rescue purposes with a view to placing a certain recommendation before the Royal Humane Society.

A drowning sensation at Wanganui on March 26 last was marked by extraordinary features. Ihe victim was Alexander Mitchell, a horse trainer, who. was recently concerned in the Demure case, in which he claimed over £2OOO damages for alleged breach ol contract in connection with the lease of the racing filly Demure, but his case failed. Mitchell approached a man named Young at the city end of the town bridge and asked him for a piece of lead and a rope. Shirtly afterwards Mitchell climbed the parapet of the footbridge which rung beside the traffic bridge and jumped 25ft into the river. His plight was soon seen, and three men (William Hamilton, N. Kow’o, and A. Noy'er) plunged in to assist him. i They were on the tbwu wharf side, and the drowning man was on the far side of the river, so the rescuers had some distance to swim. A strong ebb tide was running, and the water was very cold owing to the recent flood. Hamilton was a seamen on the s.s. Invercargill, and Moyer occupies a similar position. Rowe is a waterside worker. Hamilton, though a strong swimmer, got out in the current. He then appealed for help, and suddenly sank, being presumably attacked by cramp. A boat was launched from the steamer Ngatiawa and almost reached him before he sank. Meanwhile, Moyer returned to the shore, but Rowe reached the body of the drowned man. Unfortunately he was too exhausted to hold the body up, and was himself in a bad way when rescued by the boat from the Invercargill.