INQUEST AT KAIAPOI.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 629, 30 May 1870, Page 2

INQUEST AT KAIAPOI.

An inquest: touching the death of Robert Campbell, who was drowned by the wreck of the ketch Folly on the Kaiapoi Bar, was held at the. Borough Council. Chamber on Saturday, before pr Dudley, coroner, and a j'iry, of whom Mr F. A. Lock was foreman. Sergeant Mullin conducted the inquest, and the following' evidence was heard :— Constable Quin : I am stationed at Kaiapoi. About 5.15 p.m. yesterday I was informed that the ketch Folly had been upset on the Kaiapoi Bar, and that her crew, consisting of two men. were supposed to be drowned. I immediately proceede.l to the bar in company with a boat's crew. On the

North epit I found a portion of the craft's bowsprit, a broken paddle, which appeared to belong to a dingy, and a water-cask. I went north along; the beach for I abou two miles, then returned, and crossed the river. I proceeded to search the South Beach. I picked up several numbers of Chambers' Journal on the beach, and then found the body of deceased about two hundred yards further on. The body was lying stretched out, face downwards, with the fingers and toes deeply imbedded in the sand. His head was lying seaward, and the sea was washing over the body. He had neither boots nor stockings on when found. All the clothes he had on were a flannel shirt, drawers, and pair of trousera. It was about 9.10 p.m. when we found the body, which was removed to high water mark. We then searched further, and found a shirt such as sailors wear, but could not find the other man that was supposed to be drowned. Deceased was quite dead when found. There were no marks of injury on him except a slight bruise on the left temple. I then took charge of the body, and brought it to Kaiapoi. The vessel was lying outside the inner breakers on the bar. The pilot would not allow the boat's crew to go on board the wreck of the vessel, as there was a very heavy sea on the bar, and it was so dark that we could only see the vessel at intervals. We cooed, and held a lighted candle, but received no answer. I searched the body, and found nothing on it. Daniel Collins: I am a seaman on board the Eaiuma. I have seen the body now lying at the Pier Hotel. It is the body of Robert Campbell, who was a seaman on board the ketch Folly. I hare known him about three months. I first knew him in Dunedin, and sailed with him from Dunedin to Lyttelton in the Christian McAusland. We arrived in Lyttelton about eleven weeks ago. I saw him alive in Lyttelton on Sun* day last, when he told me he shipped on board the Folly, and was going to Kaiapoi. Deceased was about 20 years old, and a native of Dublin. The craft Wafeonly two handed, and deceased was notrjljl captain. By Jurors : I do not believe rarvessel was fit to take a bar harbour, as she was very small, and not built of the right material. George Simmonds : I am master of the schooner Volunteer. I came in over the bar at 1.45 p.m. yesterday. The ketch Folly left Port Levy at the same time' as myself. The Folly could not sail so fast as my vessel, and I passed her about seven miles from the Kaiapoi bar. I believe she would have arrived at the bar about an hour after I crossed it. I saw deceased on hoard the Folly yesterday when I passed her. When I came up the river I saw the pilot and told him to lookout for the Folly coming over the bar, as the Captain was a stranger, and I expected he would get into trouble. The bar was very rough when I came over it, the wind was fair. I believe the Folly would hare got over the bar all right had she been in time for high water, but the tide had ebbed more than an hour before she came to the bar. I believe that if there had been a boat and boat's crew at the bar the men's lives would have been saved. Deceased looks as if he had not been drowned but died of exhaustion. I believe that the bar is properly and carefully staked bo that a stranger could not mistake his way in. I might almost consider myself a stranger as it is nearly three years since I have been over the bar. The vessel was laden with coal. I think the vessel was it enough to come to Kaiapoi, though I would not like, to go a long voyage in her. John Peteraen : lam pilot at Kaiapoi. I was at the bar yesterday afternoon. Three vessels came over the bar yesterday and one got upset on th« bar, her name was the Folly. She came to the bar at nearly 3 p.m., more than an hour after high water. I saw her come through the breakers and get fair into the channel. The wind suddenly died away, and I saw the man on board let go his anchor. The vessel lay to at anchor, apparently all right, for about three quarters of an hour, and then drifted out among the breakers. I do not know whether she dragged her anchor or whether her master took up the anchor with the intention of going out to sea again. When she was drifting among the breakers towards the South Spit, I saw her capsize. I heard the men scream immediately after she capsized. I saw the vessel right herself three or four times, but I saw nothing more of the men. Had a boats-crew been there Ido not believe they could have rendered any assistance, as the vessel was about a quarter of a mile from shore, and there was a very heavy sea on at the time. It was about 4.5 p.m. when the vessel capsized . I immediately proceeded to Kaiapoi and reported it to the police. I then proceeded to the bar in company with Constable Quin and others to see if I could render any assistance. If I had been provided with proper signals I would have signalled the vessel not to come in. Sergeant Mullin said the pilot, had rendered every assistance h. 1 could in searching for the body. A. verdict of " Accidentally Drowned "■ was returned; . The body -of Captain Turner was found on the South Spit, near the Kaiapoi bar yesterday. The pilot and several others brought it up to Kaiapoi in a boat, and handed it over to the charge of the police. An inquest was to be held to-day.