INQUEST AT TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1580, 12 May 1887, Page 4

INQUEST AT TEMUKA.

An ii quest before J. S. Beswick, Esq., Coroner, end a Jury, was held at nine o’clock yesterday morning at the R.M. Courthouse, Tetuuka, on the body of John James O’Connor, of Levels Plains, ■who was 1 found dead on the Tenvuka riverbed on Tuesday morning. The following was the jury sworn in if. Oldfield, J. Whitehead, Williams, Fleming, and Q-. McS. Gentlemun. Mr Oldfield was chosen foreman. After viewing the body, which was lying at the T mu' i Ho‘e : , the following evidence was taken ; - John JAnglimd ; I am a hotelkeeper residing at Temnka. I knew the deceased, John O’Connor. I last saw him alive on Monday night, 9tb inst., at 7 o’clock. Deceased was then in toWn and had a dray. He called at my plate and got a drink. He asked for 2s worth of rum, which I supplied to him in a lemonade battle. He said he wanted it for a mate of bis who was in the camp and had a bad cold. I think O’Connor’s camp would be about two miles from the township. Deceased remained about ten minutes at my place, and then left with his dray. Ho was sober so far as I could see, He talked to me about a good many things,' and was apparently, as far as 1 could see, sober, and knew what he was doing, The deceased told me he had some whiskeys in Timaru. From what I saw of him I could not say that his appearance’ was such as to lead me to believe he had had drink. The drink 1 supplied him with was whiskey and lemonade.

David Stewart, saorn ; I am an engine driver, residing at Temuka, L have seen the body of John o’Corinor this morning. I saw'it previously underneath the dray on the riverbed about half-past eight yesterday (Tuesday) morning. Part of the body was in the water. The head and one of the shoulders were in the water, and the dray was on the *op of deceased. WiliamEagle came there at the same time as myself, and 1 sent to acquaint the police of the matter. The man was quite dead at that time. The dray was upset and lying on the top of him. Constable Strickland, sworn: I am a police constable, residing at Temuka. From information I received I went to the bank of the Temuka river on Tuesday morning. At the place where the accident happened I saw the dray oh the top of deceased. With the assistance of others I took the horse out of the dray, and removed the body to where it now lies. Deceased was lying on his stomach with the front part of the dray across his shoulders, J and his head was in about 6 indies of water. On searching the body I found a bottle of rum. it was quite full. I also fnund a watch on the deceased. The waich stopped at 8.28. There was £1 10s in the pockets of the deceased.

J. S. Hayes, sworn, said : I am a duly qualified medical practitioner residing at Temuka. I made an examination of the body. I found bruises on the right temple, left cheek, and his hands, There was an abrasion of skin. The body appeared to have been lying on the left side of the face. There were no bones broken, and there was no sign of any serious injury. Most of the external signs of drowning were present, and I am of opinion the deceased met his death by drowning. Constable Strickland stat'd that it appeared deceased had gone out of his reckoning altogether. It was foggy. It would appear that he had lost his way. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned. Deceased was a young man of 34 years of age, and leaves a widow and three children to mourn his lose. He was buried yesterday afternoon in the Temuka cemetery.