INQUEST AT LYTTELTON.
An inquiry into the death of William Thomas, whose body was found floating in the Harbour, was held in the Mitre Hotel, Lyttelton, yesterday afternoon, before J. W. S. Coward, Coroner. Mr B. W. Gtantham waß chosen Foreman, of the jury. j Patriok M'Oormack, polioe constable, said j that yesterday morning he went in a boat to j No. 3 wharf, and thorn found the body of deoeaaed alongside the pUen. Knew the body ' to be that of William Thomas, of the barque Firth of Dornoch, bh* loft the Harbour on Nov. 19. On the previous day deceased was reported as a deserie mining frora hia ship. Deooaaed was of intemperate habits, having reoently been locked up for that reason. A mate of his, John Oarr.pt>fcll by name, told witness that, on the previous day, ho had fallen into the water vbiLt attempting to board hiß ship. He also told witness that deceased had borrowed nome clothea from the watchman on board thu ship. Deceased then wont ons hore, :tncl wm net Boen af;ain by those on board the uhip. Uo wbb found lying in the water just where the gangway cf the barque had been. Albert Martin Douse said he was employed at the Mitre Hotel as pianist, &o. Had seen and recognised body of deoeased. Last saw him on a Saturday. Believed him to have - been employed on the Firth of Dornooh. It would be Saturday week when he lost saw him. He was then in the ainging room. Ihat waa about nine o'clook p.m. He was rather the worse for liquor when he came in. He left about half past nine. Did not again ace him. He and hia mates with whom he then was, seemed friendly enough together. Sergeant Mason stated that tho mate the deceased waa with had been locked up, drunk, at half-past nine on the night mentioned. Several of the jury were of opinion thot the Harbour Board ought to be requested to
*^^~^ — —^ aa— f sas insist on proper gangways being plaoed between ships alongside the wharves and the piers. The Ooroner directed the jory to find a verdiot of "Found Dead," aa in oase of further evidenoe ooming to light this would not interfere with further proceedings being instituted. Ihe verdiot was found as suggested by tbe Ooroner.
INQUEST AT LYTTELTON.
Star (Christchurch), Issue 4861, 28 November 1883, Page 4
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in