THE HARBOUR FATALITY.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14407, 18 May 1917, Page 4

THE HARBOUR FATALITY.

A VfiRDIOT OF FOUND DJtOWNED,

An inquest was held at the Magistrate's Court yesterday by . Mr. E. Davidson, J.P.," Coroner, on the body of the man named Ben Doual, which was found floating in the harbour .on Wednesday afternoon. i Constable McGregor represented tlo police. ] Dr. H. E. A. Washboum stated that he had examined the body lyVng in tho morgue. The headland facejwere considerably .decomposed, but \tlie body m \ mucil better state ofi preservation _ Ihere were no marks cf violence V1S1? t no post morten fad been made tho cause of death wls uncertain, but the appearances \3ere consistent with death by drowling. It was aoubtfr,l if a-post morteli would tiirow any light on the cause $f death owing to the decomposition Ind theravages of sea lice and crafts. Ho should say the body had been \in the S- i Vvee^ or'two. Witne\ss explained that it was extremely difficult to estimate the length of time thd body nad been in the water. ' { Alexander Stuart; motor lanncll proprietor, stated that on the pre/vious afternoon he discovered the dead*body of a man, fully dressed, lying in/ si allow: water .-on the Boulder Bank! close tr>. tnc magazine. He secured the\ 'body and reported the matter to the poVlice. Henry Francis West, chemistA deposed that he visited the moro-ue { but could not identify the body. Ele reteogmsed the clotting, which had beenVe- : moved from the body, as belonging \o : a man named Ben Doual, who had beefo Itvmg with him for three weeks anS -attended to the garden. He believed deceased had been living in Nelson for about eighteen months. By tis appearance he should say he was about sixty years of age., lie last saw deceased alive at breakfast on Saturday last, but he had tea at his ulace that evening. He left about six o'clock, stating that he was going to tie pictures. Deceased did not return. Witness said that deceased was formerly a very heavy drinker, but to his knowledge he had not touched liquor during the past two months. Deceased did1 not enjoy the best of tealth, and frequently complained of giddy turns during which-he went temporarily blind He (witness) told deceased that he should see a doctor, but he would, not do so. There wa s nothing peculiar m the man's manner, although he was , worriedi over the way he considered i the Public Trust in Christchurch was . administering his estate. Deceased . used to go fishing at the wharf a good • deal, and said te always felt better by the sea. J

By the Coroner: When deceased left, his house on Saturday he was quite, cheerful. Deceased was well educated and was a gentleman in his manner. vim? l u7'i Wi lo resides at thG Pr°rWo H?*^. **»»d that 6 le knew deceased by the name of Donald. Bf> boarded at the hotel last year. O? Sunday riormnelaat deceased came to Lr fi>, dwt a co™*tion with her. She asked iim what he was doing without his collar, and he said he was going home to-.get it DeceasJ* was.pezfectty.^ber, g and then left her and went down the street «i?\ ■ P°roner: "Deceased did not say where he was «oing ™™ tf? 16 M?KeS>z'c, of Port Nelson, Jtttth J M aD °VOrCOat OTOT *•«"

Tl:n. Coroner returned a verdict that deceased was found drowned, and £l came into the water.