THE CHARTERIS BAY DROWNING CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7237, 25 October 1901, Page 3

THE CHARTERIS BAY DROWNING CASE.

THE INQUEST. An inquest touching the death of Annie Binning Kanfcin, -who -was four.d drowned at Charters Bay, en Wednesday lai* was held at the Mitre Hotel this morning, before Mr H. W. Bishop., coroner, and a -jury, of which Mr J. T. Brice was chosen loreman. Mary Russell Hay, wife of. John Thomas Hay, tharteris Bay, deposed that the deceased was her> sister, and was twentythree years -of age. Deceased was single, a-nd had beeft livittg at Op&wa, but cpe to stay with witness at Ccarteris Bay on a visit about six -weeks ago. She had not been well, and had goitre in the throat. She seemed to get better every day nt Charteria Bay. On. Tuesday last, wrtuess left her in ftie ihousc, and she was all right then. "When witness returned she could not. find deceased, but supposed she had gone to Church Bay. Witness could not account fov her being in the water. She was not a healthy woman, and could lvot swim. John Thomas Hay. husband of the last witness, deposed that deceased seemed in very good health and spirits while at Chai«tms Bay. After hearing that she was nr.fsins:, ' witness* and others searched for her till midnight. Next morning' witness gia,ve informaticn to the police at Lyttslton. Johffl. Hay, cousin of Mr J. T. Hay, deposed that he "was helping to search for the deceased, and found her body lying face downward* in the mud half a. chain below bigh : water raai'k, near Mr Anderson's pkea at Oltarre.ri'-! Bay. He did not touch the body, which was dressed. Constable Patrick Moor© deposed that Constable Pratt and himsalf journeyed to Charteris Bay, and went *to 1&e place where the body was. It was lying fa.cc downwards, with the face buried in the mud. The rig-ht arm was bent by the side, and the left hand was under the breast. It wais fully dreaatd', except that tiliere was no hat, and the right shoe was missing. A pool of blood, whkh appeared to have oozed from tire nose, was by the head. There were no marks -of violence on the body, which was brought to the Lyttelton. Morgue. ' Dr Pairnian deposed that he had made a post- mortem examination of the body of deceased, and found the- usual signs of d'eatii by drowning. There was a goitre in the neck, and a considerable amount of effusion in tire bag of -the heart. The cause c-f d&rtli; yvaw drowning. TJie effect of goitre was often to cause faintness after . exertion, such as drawing on a boot. He found nothing physiologically to account for any specinl conditkn of mind. The jury returned a verdict of "Found dro'.vned.'"