THE LATE BOATING FATALITY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5507, 6 March 1896, Page 3

THE LATE BOATING FATALITY.

MR STEWART'S BODY FOUND. The close search which has been continually kept up since news was first heard of the recent sad boating accident was rewarded by the finding of the body of Mr Stewart at twenty-five minutes to ten this morning by Mr C. Curtis. Mr Curtis | rowed out in an open boat this morning, and in searching found the body floating, face downwards, in about 2ft of | water, about half a mile from where the Waitangi now is, on the Christchurch side and towards the butts. The bodies of Messrs Warner and Murray had been found on the New Brighton side. After some difficulty he succeeded in getting the body into the boat and took it to his shed by the tramway bridge. The boots and stockings were on, and the body was fully dressed with the exception that deceased's coat was off. The face was badly disfigured. On the body being examined there were found marks on both shins, which showed unmistakably that they had been jammed against some hard substance. There were also bruises on the chest. This discovery gives rise to the theory that the deceased had been jammed under the boat, and this supposition; is partially confirmed by the fact that, on Saturday last, Mr Barker and others, while dragging about the yacht, i fancied their hook caught some clothes, and again, Mr F. A. Cook and others yesterday were under a similar impression, but were unable with their hooks to raise the object. So certain was Mr Cook that the body of Mr Stewart was under the boat that he intended getting a launch to-day to shift the yacht. Attempts were made yesterday to shift the yacht, and it is supposed that the body was then released and came up with the tide this morning. The watch found in Mr Stewart's pockethad stopped at two minutes to one o'clock. Mr Warner's watch, it will be remembered, had stopped at five minutes to one, while Mr Murray's, which was doublecased, stopped rat ten minutes to three. The additional facts thus to hand throw considerable light on the mystery which has existed as to the actual circumstances of the fatality. It is abnost certain that at a few minutes to one o'clock the Waitangi, owing probably to the rising tide, capsized, precipitating the three occupants into the water. Mr Stewart, as he stood on the gunwale must, it is cbnsidered, have gone straight down and been jammed and held down by the bilge of the boat. Mr Warner, probably, was seized with cramp and drowned at once, while Mr Murray may have succeeded in reaching the, mud and then sunk from exhaustion. Against the theory here advanced it is -urged that the yacht was moved about by the search party on Sunday, and that had Mr Stewart's body been there it would have been found then. It is improbable that an inquest will be held, as Mr Beetham, who is out of town, stilted that in the event of Stewart's body being found, unless the circumstances were shown to be materially different from the cases of Messrs Warner and Murray, an inquest would not be necessary.