The Drowing Fatality.

Thames Star, Volume XIX, Issue 5823, 28 September 1887, Page 2

The Drowing Fatality.

THE INQUEST. A Coronial inquiry into the circumstances connected with the death 6f,Claud Murray, who was drowned in the J|auaeranga river yesterday, was held ttt this Eob Boy Hotel at 11 o'clock tlnis moping, before Dr Kilgour (District Coroner^ and the following jury:—Messrs Jas. 'MeAndrew (foreman), W. S. Wylie, J. Gallagher, Wm. Mclntosh, W. Bobbett, and J. Danby. r The, jtfry having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken :— William Laurie, sworn, deposed—l am employed as Turncock by the Borough Council, and was eDgaged working with deceased about 9 o'clock yesterday morn* iDg, near where the Orphanage bridge stood, which was carried away by the flood Borne months ago. About this hour; in the prosecution of our work, Murray made an endeavor to cross the river for the purpose of taking two fishing lines aerois" andattach them to the other side. He had only hia boots and trousers on, and after entering the river had only proceeded to about the middle when he was-carried 1 away. At the point at which he attempted to cross it is narrow, very deep, and rapid} while in the bottom there are several boulders. He could not have gone more than a dozen steps altogether when I noticed him fall up-stream and roll over. I rushed into the river a short distance lower down, bat it was too deep for me to render him' any assistance, and I never saw him eottv to the surface. By this time my sod had arrived with a rope, which I tied arMnd; my waist:: and seat another of nay flbftl down to the booms for further asswalee. While he was away I again went into the river and began searching for Murray's body, but could not find it. A young man named Law:then came upon the scene, and we tied a rope around each of our bodies while Several individuals on either aide held the other end, .and proceeded up the centre of the stream by'-^ie aid of the ropes, after which nevelal men then came with a boat front tWe booms, and also Constable O'Brien ,will| grappling irons. The search wat-ik£#nS continued by means of the boat and Sfd&B,; and the .body recovered about haif-past 3 o'clock. I understood from deceased that he was a good swimmer.— By tbo jury : When deceased entered the river I! was standing on the bank near the roadside, and had to run about 100 yards be i fore I could reach opposite where he.Went into the river. Deceased had nothiag in J his hand. The river had risen so .CjWebJ owing to the rain on Monday night~~raat< the water was up to his breast. When we left the river on Monday my boys' crossed it themselves. So far as IL*tn aware, deceased had not been driafihig the previous day nor yesterday morning. The crossing has been completely altered lately. I think that deceased was parried away by the currant. The body was found within 50ft of where the accident occurred. Wm. Laurie, son of lest witness, stated —I was assisting my father at the Or« phpnage bridge yesterday morning, together with deceased. The latter- jr»s going across the river to get a line across to the opposite side, and I observed him fall when about the middle of the stream. After falling, ho made an effort to recever himself, but rolled over into the water, and I did not see him again. He did not call for help, or make any struggle. I brought a rope from Mr Uodd's, which my father tied around himself, and I held it while he went into the river, but he got out of- bis depth,. Mr Law and nay father then went into the stream, but the' body was recovered by means of a boat and grappling irons. Deceased seemed to be quite sober when he went into the river —By the jury : I did not see deceased drink anything during yesterday morning. The river was a little swollen, but we did not notice it. My brothers and I crossed it the previous day at the same place. Constable O'Brien stated—About 11 o'clock yesterday morning I was informed that a man had been drowned in the Kauaeranga river, and at once proceeded to the spot, and learned that it was Claud Murray. la company with several others, I searched the river with grappling irons, and recovered the body about 3.30. It was m some tea feet of water, and about 50 yards below where I was told he had fallen in. He was heavily dressed. There were no marks ef violence so far as could be seen, and no property was found in his -possession. Had the body conveyed.to the -Rob Boy Hotel. . The jury, without retiring, returned the following • verdict-—" Accidentally drowned while crossing the Kauaeranga river."