MYSTERIOUS CASE OF DROWNING.

Colonist, Volume XXVII, Issue 3881, 31 March 1884, Page 3

MYSTERIOUS CASE OF DROWNING.

On Saturday morning some persons passing along the Haven road towards town, observed a body lying in the mud near the Saltwater .Bridge, and at once gave inf orma-: tion to the police. When Constable Levy' proceeded to the spot he recognised the body, as that of R. W. Skilton, late of Collingwood. It wa» afterwards learnt that the,deceased

[ had been Btaying at the house of a brother in the Wood, but that he left on Friday about 9 o'clock with the' avowed intention of,, proceeding to Colling wood by the' Lady Barkly, but although he went down to the Port he did not become a passenger by that vessel. At the inquest held at the Custom House Hotel, before Dr Boor, and a jury, of which Mr M. Levy was foreman, the evidence adduced threw little light on the cad affair. Mrs .Tinneyj,deposed to seeing the body and informing the police, whilst Constable Levy stated that on proceeding to the spot indicated he discovered the remains of E. W. Skilton... From the appearance of the body, this witness said it must have been in the water some time. The body: was fully clad, and an Inverness cape was drawn round the head. The deceased was lying on his face, with his walking-stick beside him, and there was a slight bruise under the right eye. There was a watch upon the deceased, and this had stopped at twenty minutes to two. Mrs Francis Skilton stated that her brother-in-law left at halfpast nine o'clock on Friday evening, and said he was going to Collingwood, but would be back in a week. Constable Phair deposed that he saw deceased on the Commercial Wharf at ten o'clock on Friday night, and deceased asked him when the Planet was going to Motueka. At ten minutes to eleven he again saw deceased near Mr Akersten's premises, and Sldlton then asked him when the Mersey was leaving for Motueka; -;The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased was found drowned, and that there was no evidence to show by what means he came into the water. They also added a rider expressing their opinion that the Haven Boad should be fenced, as they considered it dangerous to foot passengers. It will be noticed that the deceased was riot seen after ten minutes to eleven o'clock on Friday night, and that it would appear from the time his watch stopped that he met his death at 20 minutes to two. It has been suggested that he might have been going to or from the fire, and then have walked over the sea-wall; but if so, it is strange that he should have remained at the Port and without having been seen. We regret to add that Mr Skilton leaves a wife and six children. At the funeral of the late Mr E. Skilton, which took place yesterday afternoon, were a number of members of the Motueka Lodge of Oddfellows, of which the deceased was a member. The Oddfellows, hearing of the death, started overland at 1 a.m., arriving in Nelson early, and having received from the Nelson Brethren as much assistance as the time would allow, accompanied the remains to the grave, where the Manchester Unity funeral service was impressively read by P.P.G-.M. E. Sutcliffe, of the Motueka District.