DISCOVERY OF TWO DEAD BODIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1479, 23 November 1872, Page 3

DISCOVERY OF TWO DEAD BODIES.

(From the Timaru Herald, Nov. 22 J Yesterday morning, as Mr N. Barton, a farmer, living opposite the race-course, was : riding into Timaru, he saw, when about mid- ! way between the meat preserving establishment and the rocky point (which juts into the read before coming to the foot of the downs) a pair of human feet sticking out of the water of the Washdyke Creek, which here j runs about 60 or 70 yards from the road. I Mr Barton at once turned his horse and rode j back to the Washdyke police station, where j he gave information of what he had seen to I Constable Waliis, who is stationed there, j The constable and Barton then proceeded to ■■ the creek, and with the help of a third man, Bartlett, succeeded in dragging from tho water the dead body of the man M'Lean, who has been missing since Thursday last. The body was in an almost upright position in the water, the head down, buried in tho mud, aud the legs protruding some little way above tho surface. In lifting up the body they found very considerable difficulty, arising from the fact that it was heavily weighted at the head, but at last, with the use of a boat, they managed to get it to shore. This weight was found to be a lump of pig iron, weighing 601bs or 701bs, which had been secured round the unfortunate man's neck by a piece of flax. It was quite possible from the way the weight was attached that it was fastened by M'Lean himself before he made his fatal plunge, but this is simply an assumption, but one which bears the impression of being more correct than the other more horrible one, that of its being the act of a murderer. There arc no marks of violence on the body, other than a bruised wrist, which would hardly have been the case if M'Lean had been the victim of a murderer's attack. There is one circumstance, however, which, until cleared up points to foul play, and that is the fact that on the body being searched by the constable, no money was found. On Thursday, when first reported as missing, the man was known to have in his possession between fifty and 6isty pounds in bank notes. But on the other hand, as the money was all together in a pocket-book, it is possible that the unfortunate fellow might have tin-own tho book into the I water, or have buried it, or that it had fallen out of h"i3 pocket into the mud of the creek. Both the bed of the creek and the banks are ' now being searched by the police in hopes of settling definitely this one serious aspect of the tragedy. The inquest will be held to-day at eleven o'clock at the Washdyke. Since the disappearance of M'Lean, on Thursday, there has been from time to time a wish expressed by those who knew the man that search parties should aid the police in their endeavours to find his whereabouts, and yesterday morning thi3 wish took form in action by Messrs Derby aud James King starting off on horseback to scour the ranges and low downs at the back of Timaru. They went in tho direction of Mount Horrible, and at last found themselves in the neighbourhood of what is known as " Ward's hut," the Timaru side of Mount Horrible. The reason for taking this line of country was that it was known that the object of their search had purchased land in that district, and that {possibly he had gone to look at it, and had got lost among the ranges. King and Derby were about giving up the search, and were coming homewards, when, being near tho little stream which flows by the hut, they went along its course for the purpose of watering their horses, and to get a drink for themselves. Both men went to seek it in different places in the creek, and King on going down the bank, found lying before him in water which did not even cover the face the dead body of a man. King sung out to his companion, who quickly camo to his aid, and the}' found the body. It was that of a man of middle age, sandy complexion, reddish hair ; he was dressed in a dark tweed suit, and light trousers. In searching round about, no hat or swag were found. The bo rl y had evidently been there for some few days, as it was partly decomposed and emitted a horrible effluvium. Yesterday afternoon, a police constable took a trap and brought the body into town, where an inquest will be held probably, this afternoon, or to-morrow morning, at Melton's Hotel. Wo hear that a man left the Sportsman's Arms, Saltwater Creek, during last week to work at the Pareora station (Mr El worthy's). He put his swag on a passing dray, and himself started for the station on foot. Last accounts state that inquiries have been made from the station for this man, he not having arrived. Where tho body wa3 found is in the direction a man would take — though a trifle out of tho way — in going to Mr El worthy's, and the supposition is that the body found is that of the missing man, but I how he came to his death is a mystery, as the depth of water he was lying in did not exceed six inches.