A CASE OF DROWNING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1989, 10 April 1890, Page 19

A CASE OF DROWNING.

An inquest was held atPort Chalmerson Tuesday afternoon, before Mr Coroner Carew aad a jury (Mr David Lee, foreman), on the body of James Rodger, late of Portobello, who was found drowned near the heads early yesterday morning by Andrew and Stewart Macdonald and Thomas Erridge while they were engaged fishing. Robert Allan, residing at Portobello, identified the body lying at the morgue as that of James Rodger, who had recently lived with his mother, his sisters, and his brothers at Porlobello. Witness knew him well.

Dr Drysdale, residing at Port Chalmers, stated that he had examined the body that morning. It was that of a youug man, and was fully dressed, the clothes being saturated with water. The body appeared as if it had been in tho water for a fortnight. It was considerably decomposed, and parts of the cheeks and lips were gone, probably through the attacks of fish. The only other wound on the body was one under the chin on the right side of the windpipe, which witness believed to be a cut, but he could not say positively whether it was caused during life. If self-inflicted, it would be unusual for a right-handed man to inflict such a wound in that place ; it would probably bo inflicted on the left side, but it did not always happen ao. Ho scarcely thought the wound itself was sufficient to account for death, although such a wound, if not attended to, would ultimately cause death by slow bleeding. The wound was not deep enough to sever the carotid arteries, but it had cut the outward jugular. Witness examined the hands for indications of any struggle, but found none. It was not likely that a man would inflict a wound under the chin of his viotim without first overpowering him. Andrew Lothian Macdonald, a fisherman, residing near Hamilton Bay, stated that he was out in a boat fishing on Monday night. He was with Thomas Erridge and Btowart Macdonald, and their net was out on the insile of the S' it, near the tide gauge. Tho net was being hauled in when tbe body of a man was found in its top wing. They put Hues under tho body and lifted it into the boat, bringing it afterwards to Port Chalmers, whero Sergeant Neil took charge of it. He thought they must have brought the body from the bottom. The water wa » about 6ft deep where the body w«9 fount), and it was flood tide wheu they picked it up. They found the body between 1 aad 2 o'clock that morning. Robert Forbe; J , a farmer, r^bidiug at Portobello, deposed that ho knew the deceased. Witness was a trustee in conneot.ion with deceased's late father's es'ate. Witness last saw deceased about a fortnight ago. Decovsed was plnoed in the Seacliff Asjluin about a year ago, but was there for ouly two months, witness thought, and when he came, out he could talk sensibly. Last Monday week witness henril from riece&Red's mother that deceased had beeu away for two nights, and that his family thought something must have, happened to him, an it wushis custom to come home every night. Alexander Rodger said that the deceased, who was his brother, was born tit tho Peumsuls, aud was about 25 years of age. Deceased was in the asylum ouce, but his miud w»8 right after he came out up till a week or a fortnight before he went away. He was mi.ssed last Saturday week about Bor9 in tho morning. Witness hnd seeu him before that hour that morning, but deceased said nothing about gning away. Some nights he wnuld not go to bed at all, and others he would go to hj.il and then get up and go into the front room and talk aloud to himself. He did uot work (hiring tho week or fortnight previous to having, but kept ou speaking to himself most of the timo. Witness never h<>nrd him threaten suicide On tho Monday following the day on which deca-ed was missed witaoss informed the police of the occurrence, and ho inquired after, hiai on the Tuesday following, ami a^ain lust Sunday. Deceased carrind do knifo abour. with him, and never drank intoxicstting l'quor. Sergeant Neil, stationed at Port Chalmers, also gave evidence, stating th*fc he searched the body of deceased. There was no knifo about the body. The jury rctnrned a verdict of " Found dead."

A letter by the last mail states that Ihe company formed in London to work petroleum at New Plymouth will common oe its operations in May next.