THE CHEQUE MYSTERY CLEARED UP A SINGULAR MISTAKE WITH MR. MONKMAN'S BODYD.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 151, 24 April 1886, Page 5

THE CHEQUE MYSTERY CLEARED UP A SINGULAR MISTAKE WITH MR. MONKMAN'S BODYD.

This afternoon, shortly after the arrival of the chief steward from Woodbank. it became known that ho had identified ono of the bodies in the woolshed lieie as that of tho chief oilicer, Mr Monkman, ■whilst a body suppo&ed to be that of tho chief ollicor, and scrovved down in a collin, had been removed to tho beach last night for shipment to Dnnedin by tho Wakata this morning, at the request of Mr Monkman's friends, Tho body was ready to go at daylight this morning, but the steamer did not call. It will be temembcred that tho body with a largo sum of money was supposed to be that of an engineor, but no one could account for his possession of a cheque signed by tho passenger Galbraith. Another body had been identified from personal knowledge and tho possession of the chief mate's certificate as that of Mr Monkman, and the latter body had been prepared for transport toDuuedin as already desciibed. Immediately tho chief steward uaMccd into the shed to-day he said pointing to the body supposed to be that of an engineer, "That is poor Monkman." It was explained to him that could not bo so, as Monkman's body was on tho beach, and had been identified in several ways, Tho chief steward, however, was quite sure about the identification, and consequently the body at tho beach had to b3 brought back and replaced by Monkman's body. It will be remembered that the body supposed to bo that of an engineer had several designs tatooed on either arm, and no description of such tatooing has been sent by Mr Monkman's friends, probably becauso Mr Monkman was well known and no effort was made to procure evidence for his identification. Then, again thepos=ession of the mate's certificate on tho body identified as that of Monkman was almost conclusivo evidence that it was the body of the chief officer. The head of this body was very much disfigured, the eye3 being missing, and altogether it is not surprising that there should havo been a mistake, especially as I am informed that Mr Monkinan had recently shaved in such a way as completely altered the appearanco of his face. This latter fact was of course not known by those who identified the body here. Tho steward asked immediately on which body the monoy was found and wasj informed on tho body before him. Then ho asked was there a cheque amongst the money ? ' Upon being answered in tho affirmative, he safd he had seen Mr Galbraith hand the chief officer a cheque- for his fare. When it is added that tho rulo of the Company is for tho chief officer to take the ironcy while the pursor writes out tho ticket, and that the chief officer retains possession of the money, all the mystery is cleared away, and there can no longer be any doubt that the body identified to day as that of tho chief officer is actually so, When a large sum of money was found on this body, it was thought that it must bo that of the purser, another body having been identified as Mr Monkman's ; but when the description of the purser telegraphed did not correspond with the body, it \va3 then pupposed to be one of tho engineers. Returning now to tho body identified a day or two ago as that of tho chief officor, it will be rememborcd that tho strongest ovidenco in Bupportof that identification was the discovery of a pocket-book containing the mate's certificate issued to Robert Boyle Monktnan, and othor private papers stowed away in the stocking on tho left foot. Many conjectures have been made as to how deceased came into possession of Mr Monkman's pockotbook, but I think tho most feasible assumption is that the pocket-book dropped out of the mate's pocket and was found floating about by ono of the occupants of the boat, who stowed it away in his stocking for better security. The funny thing is that this body had two stockings on tho left foot, as if put on spocially to pecure the pocket book and this I cannot attempt to explain. You must form a theory for yourself, for I have heard so many that I am getting a little mixed. The chief steward was afterwards taken to the boach to identify the body thex-e, which was at first supposed to bo that of Monkman. After looking at it very carefully, he said it was the third engineer, but afterwards expressed doubt, and finally concluded that it was the body of a sailor who recently joined tho ship to replace a man named Jones. He gave evidenco to the latter effect at the inquest. The chief stoward identified all the ladies connected with the ship, although not in every caso remembering the names. After all the body of Morrison, the'fireman, waa identified as that which was at first thought to be his.

Closing Scenes of tlie Tragedy. The sea ig now ebbing and flowing through the hold of the Taiaroa, and the shingle appears to be Bilting round her, Seven mail bags havo been recovered, and the contents are being dried and preserved by the Postal Department. The bodies of the three mon at Woodbank will be buried to-morrow by the Rev. McAra on his way home to Kaikoura, and the body of Mr Vallanco ia to be interred at Flaxbourne by Rev W. Grace, in the morning. The last scene, so far as we are concerned in this fearful tragedy (which for years past has only been equalled by the disaster at Otara when the Twanift and so many

lives were loat, and the wreck of H.M.S., Orpheus, at the Mauukau, over 20 years ago) was brought to a close at dusk tonight, and when the bodies here were all disposed of. Those of the chief officer and Morrison, the fireman, were sent to Dunedin by the Wakatu, the three others were consigned to tho grave by the Rev. Mr Grace, of the Church of England, Blenheim, and the Kev. ! Mr McAra, Presbyterian Minister of Kaikoura, The Rev. Gentlemen performed the impressive ceremonies at the grave together in the proaonco of a heterogeneous assembly composed of station hands, police officers, and_ other officials, travellers, relativos of missing friends, and press correspondents—nearly forty being present to pay the last tribute of respect to the poor fellows who met such a sad end. The bodies buried here consist of Alexander Martin, passenger, and two whose cofRns bore the sadiy touching words, "An Unknown." The words of tho Benediction wore impressively spoken by tho Rev. Mr Grace just as the moon roso over the hills above Kekorangu, and the occupants of the rough but strong wooden coffins found their last rosting-placo in the cemetery of the station, in which there are already four graves. To morrow the mourners will be dispersed to all parts of the country. Before I concJjftle I must ask you to oxpress my thank&f not only to the courteous officials of the Telegraph and Postal Department, from whom I have received much kindness, but also to the manager of the Union Company, Mr Liggin, who ha? been worked off his legs, but who has yet made time to give every assistance to press representatives ; to managers and owners of the several stations of Flaxbourne, Kekerangu, and Woodbank : to polico officers and othors, for their hospitality and holp.