CORONER'S INQUEST.

Southland Times, Issue 3416, 2 June 1879, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

It will be remembered that a fanner named William Lawson went amissing during the floods of last year, and that thou&h diligent searph .was made, lie could not be found. Although from his known eccentricity of character 6ome would not have been surprised had he turned up alive and well, yet the general opinion was that lie had fallen into, the New. River and had been carried out to sea. ..Ho we've some human remains were found on the 24ult, in the New River, and these have been identified as being those of : the- missing man. They consist of a headless skeleton of a man, with a pair of watertight boots on the feet and a' vest and part of a pair of moleskins on the upper portion. A strap fastened in a peculiar way is on the piece of the trousers. A black-handled pocket knife was found in the vest pocket. An inquest on these remains was held at the .Wallacetown Hotel, on Saturday, before Mr McCulloch, coroner. Henry H. Powell deposed he was hotelkeeper at Wallacetown. Knew Lawson. He was a farmer living near Wallacetown. His house was by the New River. Saw him last on the 28th September, 1878, between 11 and 12 o'clock in the day. The New River was then in flood. He (Laweon) was then on a haystack near the river. There was water all round the stack. Should thiuk the water extended about three-quarters of a mile from the river bank. It would be about a foot to a foot and a half deep at the stack. On the following Monday the flood was highe'-, and the water would be about 2£ fee'tdeep at the stack, Witness was on the other side of the river, when he saw Lawson at the stack. He was lying down in it. Coo-eyed to him, and he raised his head. Asked him if he had anything to eat. Ho said " Yes." He also said lie was afraid the stack would be swept away. He then lay down again, and witness came away. He had two horses near the stack. , There were three men with witness at the time. Next day two men- went -to the stack, but Lawson had disappeared. A pitchfork was found sticking in the bank, of the, river!, as if he had been feeling his way along. His usual way home was along the bank. He used to wear moleskin trousers, fastened with a leather strap run through a hole in i them, just as on the skeleton found. By a juryman— Stack was 10 yards from river. The bank is very steep just there. No one was with him on the stack.

Hugh Mann deposed he was a blacksmith. Knew Lawson well. Last saw him on Thursday, 26th September, 1878. He had on moleskin trousers that . he had worn for years ; a narrow leather strap looped into a slit in his trousers and passed over his left shoulder. Witness had, seen the remains. . The strap, on them was exactly similar to the one Lawson used to wear, and was fastened in the same way. He always carried a pocket-knife. Last saw him with a knife with a black handle (bone). If the knife produced was found on the remains witness wonld say it was Lawson's knife.

James Gray deposed he was a shoemaker, living- at Invercargill. Remembered Lawson well. Used to make his boots for him. Have done so for three or four years. Have examined the remains outside. Could say positively that the boots were made by him for William Lawson. Knew them by their general appearance, and. in particular by their very low heels. Lawson would always have them made that way. He would wear no othei. This was the last witness, and the jury after a short consideration found— That the remains were those of William Lawson, and that the said William Lawson was accidentally drowned.