THE LATE DROWNING ACCIDENT AT CAMBRIDGE. The Inquest.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2121, 11 February 1886, Page 2

THE LATE DROWNING ACCIDENT AT CAMBRIDGE. The Inquest.

The inquest on the remains of the unfoitunato young man John Turnbull, drowned in the Waikato river in Cambridge on the 31st January, was held at G Wynne's Hotel Hamilton, on, Tuesday, before Mr W. N. Seaiancke, coroner, and the following jury : Messrs R. Peat (chairman), T. Qualtrough, G. Jessop, S. Tucker, W. Voice, and D. Mclntyre. The jury, having been duly.sworn viewed the body, and the following evidence was then taken, Constable Brennan representing the police :— John Turnbull, sworn, deposed : lam manager for Mr Taylor at Piako. I have seen the body now lying here. I cannot recognise it, but I believe it to be my son. He was 20 years of age last October. Had always been a steady and industrious Lid, and was always in good health and spirits. Last saw him alive on the 2nd January. He resided at Cambridge. John Power, an engine cleaner, employed on the railway at Cambridge, sworn, deposed : I knew deceased, I have seen the body lying here. 1 cannot recognise it, but I think it is that of John Turnbull. I was in deceased's company on Friday, the 31st January. We were at Lake Te Kotitou, and deceased proposed that we should go and ha\e a swim in the river. We went down to the bathing place below Major Wilson's about 4 o'clock and I sat down on the bank while deceased undressed himself. He a&ked me to go in, but I said it was too warm just then. He then went into the river. About eight minutes afterwards I heard some people crying out that a man was drowning, and I looked and saw it was deceased. I stripped off to go to his assistance. When I got about fifteen yards from him I saw his hand beating the water. I swam to the place, but there was then no sign of him. He had evidently beon canied away with the current. James McVeagh was trying t> save deceased at the time, and two others were close behind. I have known deceased well for the last year. There was nothing unusual about him that day. He was in good health and spirits. He was not a good swimmer. The river was about three feet higher on Sunday than it wan some days previously, and the current a good deal stronger. I believe deceased met with his death by accident, and from no other cause. He got out too ftr and the current was too strong for him to get back. When I saw deceased in the water first he was about twenty yards from the bank, but by the time I got into the water he must have been at least 40 yards out, right in th<» current. Young McVeagh was trying to hold deceased up when I first saw him. James McVeagh, sworn. deposed : I am a solicitor's clerk, residing at Cambridge. I knew deceased. Last saw him on Sunday, the 31st January, at the bathing place at Major Wilson's, at Cambridge. I was bathing. I saw deceased go in higher up and swim down towards the enclosure, evidently trying to reach it, but the back current was too strong for him, and appeared to keep him in one place. I noticed that he looked rather exhausted, and I fancy he called out, "Quick, I'm drowning," or words to that effect. He went under and I plunged in to go to his assistance, singing out to those on the bank to come and help me. I swam up to him and tried to catch hold of his hair, but it was too short. Then I tried to catch him by the ear, but failed, and then I caught his arm, but he slipped away from me several times. Deceased appeared to be insensible, as he made no attempt to grasp me. His head was hanging down in the water. I called out for help several times. A lad named Walter Chambers came out to me, but he did not touch deceased, who at that time had not gone down. I believe if assistance had come to me deceased might have been held up until the boat came. Chambers swam back and I followed. Three or four of us wont back again when deceased was in the middle of the current, but he had disappeared before we or the boat could reach the spot. I do not think deceased could have been saved if a buoy had been thrown to him, as he appeared to be insensible after the first time he went down. 1 believe deceased could only swim about a chain in length. He did not appear to be nervous in the water. My opinion is that be was not a good enough swimmer to breast the current. I cannot recognise the body, but I think it is that of Turnbull. Constable Wild deposed that at about half-past three o'clock on the previous day Constable Murray informed him that young Turnbuirs body was floating down the river. He procured a canoe, towed the body ashore, and placed it in an outhouse attached to the Hamilton Hotel. The Coroner having summed up, the jury, without retiring, returned a veidictof "Accidentally Drowned."

Reward offered for a lost cow. Mr John Knox will sell on Saturday next at the Hamilton Auction Mart, factory bams, bacon and, -jowls. Luncheon provided at 1 o'clock. On same d*y he will hold his usual, sale of produce, poultry, Brahma fowls, &c, &c.