FOUND DROWNED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5010, 18 May 1889, Page 3

FOUND DROWNED.

The body of Bobinson, second mate of tho barque Einclunc, who was missed three weeks ago, was recovered this morning. A lad fishing from the main wharf where the Earlscourt had been berthed saw the body floating a few feet off the wharf, and gave notice to persons working near. When first seen silt was slowly falling off the clothing, and the eleeves of the coit were full of sand, which would indicate that tho body hud been buried, and had floated only a short time before the lad saw it. The features and hands were intact, and this they could not have been, with so many fish about, had the body not been buried. There was a largo wound on the right side of the forehead, apparently inflicted during life, from which it has been inferred that deceased possibly tripped on the wharf rail, and fell on a pile-head and then over the side, or falling off the wharf struck a brace end below, ihe body was found, it may be added, within a chain or so of where tho kitten was picked up which the unfortunate man was taking with him to his ship* A boat was obtained and the corpse towed to tho boat steps where the police took charge of it, and had it conveyed on a stretcher to the Royal Hotel to await an in* quest. It is necdl ss to say that, three weeks after death, the body is in a very offensive condition from decomposition.

THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Royal Hotel at 3 p.m. before C. A, Wray, Esq. Coroner, and tho following jury: Messrs T. L. Harney (foreman), Jones, Connor, Craigie, E. White, and Geoghan. John Morgan, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, stated ho was acquainted with the deceased, George Walter Robinson, who was second mate of the barque Kinolune, which loft Timaru for London on the 29th ult. Deceased was last at his house two days before he was missing, with the second mate of the Earlscourt. Never saw deceased take anything but temperance drinks. Had been told by the captain too, that deceased was a temperate man. Ho was a very quiet man, the reverse of quarrelsome. Recognised the body as that of Robinson, despite the decomposition. Captain Oreghton said deceased had gone ashore in his slippers, and the body had slippers on. Deceased was abott 29 years of age. J. Figoni, barman at tho Clarendon Hotel, was acquainted with the deceased. Saw him at the hotel on the Saturday, the day tho ship was to have gone, between six and seven o’clock. He came to tho hotel to say good bye to the landlord, Mr Parmenter, He was all righ then, sober, iio had been to the hotel several times before. He was a very sober man. Witness had a kitten about the house, and deceased took a fancy to it, and the barmaid gave it to him. Saw him leave the hotel, but did not see that he bad the kitten with him. It was tho same kitten that was found drowned in tho harbour.-

Richard Hunt, labourer, slated be was going down the steps at tho end of the wharf this morning, and saw the body lying in the water, about 30 yards from the end of the wharf. Helped to get the body ashore. The clothes were full of mud.

S. Pnrmenter, licensee of the Clarendon hotel, had known deceased since he was a little boy at Home, and deceased therefore made witness’s house his home in Timaru. Ho was there on tho evening of the 27th (Saturday,) and was then in good health and spirits. He was a very quiet and steady man, never took liquor to excess. Ho came in a little before six, and left about half past, to go on board. He gave deceased a kitten, and it was clinging to his shoulder when he left the house. It was dark when deceased left the house. He left alone. Deceased knew Mrs Parmenter’s parents at Home and their last conversation was giving him messages to deliver to them. C. Qruhn gave evidence of finding a drowned kitten floating at tho stern of the Karkcourt, a day or two after the Kincluno left. He carried the kitten to the Clarendon and they said it was tho one given to Bobinson. The Earlscourt was beside the wharf, tho Kindune was lying at a buoy on the Saturday. Mr Parmenter was recalled and said the dead kitten was brought to him aud he recognised it at once. He had been looking for it on Sunday, expecting it would float at once.

Dr B. B. Hogg, who had made a post mortem examination stated the body was in a very advanced state of di composition there was a lacerated and contused wound on the front part of the top of the head, witli considerable bruising of the right temporal muscle ; but no fracture of the skull. The wound was caused about the time of death as if by contact with some blunt substance. There were other wounds, a lacerated one on the back of the right hand, another a contusion over the left ankle ; these were caueed after death. The internal organs showed the usual signs of death by drowing. The wound on the head might have been caueed by striking something in a fall, he might have fallen off the wharf, been stunned, and then drowned. Sergeant Livingstone gave evidence of receiving from the master of the Kinclune, on April 28th, a report that the second officer, CK W. Robinson, aged 21), was missing from the previous night. lie was said to be a native of Fifeshire, Scotland. The description given of the clothing worn by the missing man tallied with that on the body. Captain Creghton offered a reward for his apprehension for being absent from the ship. The police made every possible enquiry for him, and from his good character, tiny concluded lie had not deserted but must have been drowned. The police dragged for the body without success. The body was found to day. (Contents of pockets, including watch and chain, the watch stopped at 2 minutes past 7 produced ) The coroner made a few remarks on the evidence as to the character of deceased and the probability of his having met with an accident.

The jury returned a verdict of “accidental death, probably caused by drowning.” The funeral takes place to morrow at 3 p.m.