INQUEST. :

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 58

INQUEST. :

f "in inquest w«s held atthe Morgue on Mon« aay by th« -Coroner (Mr C. C. Gr*iwua) on the body of George Farquharson, who was dragged out 'of the water »t *® Rattray street wharf on Sund*y mornin©— Mr Robert Fleming -waaL. :hosen foreman of iie%jury. - James Macdonaid, wharf labourer, s»id h« saw » man, whom ihe took to be the deceased, -last Saturday -night about 10 o'clock on the wharf. He seemed to be in troubl*, and was taken on board the' a.s. Cormna. Deceased could stand up, but no more, and witness assisted deceased off ihe ship, -waa he said, "Don't leave me." While crossjng the gangway deceased fell. On getting uw he said, '"Leave me mates, thank you, and j -witness returned on board. About 1 o'clock ' a man sang 'out that there was a man overboard from the Corinna. Witness and others went to the spot, and saw deceased hanging on to th« rudder of the Corinna. A lino thrown from the steamer was twisted round ! his body, and an attempt was made to haul deceased up, but- as soon as a strain was put on the line it gave way. A man named Crouch got down to deceased, and held him " up. A bowlin« w«s placed under deceaseds arms, and ho -was pulled on deck, where means -were ueed l to restore animation. — T? the jury: No one was in charge «f «h« gangway or about the Corinna when witness took deceased on board. < James ParquhKson, dairyman, residing ac North-Eaat Valley, identified the body am , that of his son, George Ftroquhmnjop, i«ed 43 who assisted witness in -business, wit- ' ' ness last saw deceased on Saturday «vening about half-past 6 •o'clock. He T»d made no ■ complaints of illness, nor was 'he au>ject to fits. Deceased was occasionally unsteady, and did not say when he left home on Saturday -evening where he was, going. Witness did not know until he Saw th« newspagei, which gave a description of deceased, thai *nythißg was wrong with his son. Deceased frequently stayed away at night. "Witness supposed tha illness deceased complained of came from drink. > • Dr Blomfield deposed that he saw deceased about a quarter to 2 0' clock on the' previous morning on board the Corinna. Two of the soffioers and others wer« taking .proper means % to restore respiration in deceased, but failed i to do so. No marks of violence were to be - found. The . oause of death was probably shock from sudden immersion. This was compatible with the evidence- given .of de- ' ceased' a conversation* while being held up on , another man's knees. The means used for ' restoration were proper ones. i Frank Tha-rann, night watchman for the y TJ.S.S. Company, deposed that about 10 • p.m. he heard a man walking on the wh*r(! - near the stern of the Corinn*, and aitexwarda ■ -"heard a spJash in the water. He took * light. He saw » man in the/w*ter, and ' threw a line to him, which went over his ! body, and sang out to him to hold on, butt the man nevor spoke. Witness drew the man - by -th* line on to tn« &te»mer > i quarter. He seemed to be unconscious. WitnsM then got a thicker rope, and' another man slid down and caught hold of deceased, who said*, "Where am I?" Another rop» with a bowline was lowered, and put round 'the body of deceased, and be was hauled up and kid on the deck of the ' Cfoiinn*. Two of the ship's officers came on deck, and started to try to bring about artificial respiration. Th« police and the doctor were' sent for, and the latter came half an 4iour after.' Deceased gave no signs of life during this time. — To ' the jury:* Witness was nJgiht-watchutaa on . the wharf for all the TJnion Company's boats. Some boats kept night watchmen, and others - did not. Deceased was got on deck in- about half a- minute after he spoke. Robert Arthur Crouch, wharf l*bour«r, who w»3 working on -the s.s. .Wimmer* on Sunday morning, deposed that -when he heard of a man being overboard h-e. went to the^tem of the Corinn*, and slid down the line mentioned by the previous' witness. He got hold of deceased, and held him out of the water. Deceased said, "Where am I?" A heavier rope was lowered, and with a bowline on a - third line deceased was hauled up to the wharf. If there had been more light on the wharf witness could have, given assistance sooner. Th« wharf lights' were switched on after deceased w*» picked up. They are turned off at midnight. The gangway on the Corinna had man topes, but had «.- cant ■ owing to tha rise^of the tide. - . * The Jury returned a verdict .m accordance. *; with the msdioaJ evidence. A rider' wae. added: -; that stsps should be taken to prevent, access ' to the wharf at Bight except through ga.te» '- , under control of the night watchman, I