SHOCKING OCCURRENCE IN RECREATION GROUNDS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9191, 19 September 1891, Page 2

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE IN RECREATION GROUNDS.

TUB INQUEST. (Continued from Town Edition yesterday). Emma Yates' evidence continued :— He left for home she understood. He appeared in his usual temperament, and there was nothing in his manner to call for remark. Mrs Davis came to witness next morning, and said that her husband had not been home all night. They made enquiries and learned he was dea<i in the Recreation Grounds, where she subsequently Baw the body. There was nothing in his manner or conversation on Thursday night to lead her to believe that there waß anything wrong. She was not aware that ber brother waß in the habit of bathing in the Recreation Ground lake. She knew nothing whatever of his affairs. By Mr Paul : She did not know that her brother was in the habit of going to the grounds, at night She knew he took a great interest in the grounds, and was fond of going to the grounds for a walk. Ho was chairman of the Recreation Grounds Board, and took great interest in the ground. By Inspector Pardy : Her brother spent a deal of money on the grounds. He built the bridge over the lake. By the Coroner : She had not heard that her brother could swim. By Mr Paul : There were some remarks about the closeness of the weather at her place on Thursday night. Rachel Davis deposed she was the wife of James Thomas Davis. She last saw him alive about twenty minuteß to 7 o'clock on Thursday night. He went down town, but did not say where he was going. As a rule he took a walk every evening after tea. She knew nothing at all about his business matters ; he was alwayß reserved on this point His business was all right as far as she knew. She noticed her husband waß depressed on Thursday, especially at dinner time, but he appeared all tight in the evening. She knew nothing whatever that would lead her husband to commit suicide. Her husband was fond of the Recreation Grounds, and often laid that the ground was the only place he lived for. He was in the habit of going to the grounds of an evening, and ad been there as late as 8 o'clock, but not since the Jubilee, to her knowledge. She believed her husband could not swim, and therefore if he got out of his depth he would be drowned. By Mr Paul : He was in the habit of visiting the grounds. Mrs Yates, re-called, stated that she identified the clothes found in the bathing house verandah as the clothes her brother wore on Thursday night Alfred James Way, draper's assistant, deposed that about a quarter past 6 o'clock on Friday morning he saw someone he took to be the deceased coming down Vivian-street, near Dr Christie's. Witness was on the Carrington Road at the time. The person had a towel, and was travelling in the direction of the grounds. He could not state positively that it was the deceased, but that was the impression formed in his mind. By Mr Paul : It was an impression that it was Mr Davis he Baw, by the general appearance of the person. Re-examined : He bad not been 7 in the grounds that morning. Sergeant Duffin also gave evidence. He saw no towel with the clothes or in the ground. Thomas Wolner, re-called, stated he saw no towel. Dr O'Carroll, in answer to the Coroner, saidhe examined the body between 8 and 9 this > (Friday) morning, and was certain that life was then extinct about 6 hours. This was the evidence. The jury retired, and on returning, brought in the following verdict : — "The jury are of opinion from the evidence produced that the deceased, James Thomas Davis, went in to bathe in the lake in the Recreation Ground, and was accidentally drowned."