HARBOUR FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1044, 6 February 1911, Page 7

HARBOUR FATALITIES.

iTWO MEN DROWNED. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUESTS. .In ■ connection with the drowning fatality at Queen's "Wharf .on Friday night,. the surmise that the victim was Mr. James Briggs, keeper of tho hulk Oreti, proved to bo'only too-correct, as the body was recovered early on Saturday morning. The late Mr. Briggs, who was irpm 57 to 59 years of age, was originally a seaman, but for tho past two or threo years had been keeper of tho, Oreti. Ho leaves a widow and grown-up family. Another body was also recovered in tho vicinity of the hulk, that of an old man named - Alexander Stevens, who for many years had been a familiar figure in tho . city .streets as, a vendor of newspapers. How the drowning occurred remains ft mystery, but a theory is that tho old inan Stevens may have fallen into the water and that ■ tho hulk-keeper may have lost Ais life in endeavouring to save him. DEATH OF JAMES BRIGGS. •'At,'noon on Saturday the City Coroner ■ '(Dr. 'A. M'Arthur, S.M.) hold'an inquest at- the morgue touching the. death - of James Briggs. Station-Sergeant Darby represented tho police, and Mr. P. J. O'fiegan appeared , for tho widow of the deceased.• ". Mrs. Briggs 6aid she last saw her husband alive at about 7 minutes to 8 o'clock on Friday evening. . Witness returned, to the hulk from' the -city at 9.30, -'and about a quarter of an hour , later she'heard a bumping sound and a smothered cry. - She at once called out to' tho Tolls Office'that there wa's_soinebody overboard. They asked her if she was sure it was a inan, and she said she was ~sure it was. - .Witness and her husband.', both' lived, on board. the hulk, ■which was moored at. Queen's Wharf. There was a gangway out on Friday rijjht, and it 6eomed ■ perfectly, safe. Deceased was a perfectly sober man.; V '. William ' Meredith;" nightwatehman at the'Tolls'Office,-Queen's Wharf, stated that 'oil'being-informed by Mrs. Briggs thitsomeone was,in:tho water he immediately got a pole from the office and ran . •W the spot'indir-atcd, but! found nothing. The-deoeased, James Briggs,.was in the Tolls -Office between 8.30 and- 8.40 p.ift., aid then left to go on board. That was thp last witness saw of him. After finding no trace. of anyone in the water, witness rang up the police, end then Constable Tait and Nightwatehman Wilson made a search of the spot with, lights. Deceased was sober when in the Tolls Office.-: To Mr. O'Kegan, witness said he fancied idecoascd. was going, aboard when he left, ■witness. The night was very tempestuous and'dark. The gangway was not lighted. It was not compulsory for the hulks to lave a, lighted .gangway.. , Mr.O'Regan: Nevertheless, you, think St wonld be a wise.precaution? ' • . Witness: Tes. Edward Wilson, nightwatehman in tho employ of the Harbour Board, said ho knew the deceased and had seen him in -the Tolls Office on Friday'night.;-After the report, had been received about some- . one . being in tho water, witness assisted ■ Constablo .Tait in a thorough search nnder the wharf. 7 William" Tait, who was on . duty on the wharf, said he saw deceased alongside the hulk Oreti .at fivo minutes to, 9 on Friday night. Deceased was then straightening the gangway, and that dono deceased commenced to walk aboard. That was- the last - witness saw of- him alive; Abaut 9.45 p;m. witness was called to. the Tolls" Office : and ; that -someone had been drowned-bv the h"lk. Witness'and Nightwatehman Wilson then made a" thorough' search round, about ami' ■ under the wharf,. but found nothing. - ' Mr. O'Regan:' How far had he gone aboard when'you passed: him? Witness: 'He was-in: the act of stepping on. the gangway when I saw him: It was a very rough night, and very dark. , Constable Wadeii.st<vtcd'iihai< tho'body . of . deceased had been found during dragging operations, in a position that would : correspond ' with the bridge of the hulk. •A; verdict of "Found drowned" was re- • turned... -:: , ; THE SECOND FATALITY. ' Subsequently an inquest was held, con- ! cerning the death of Alexander Stevens, tho second victim. Mr. O'Regan watched the proceedings in this inquest. Edward Wilson, nightwatehman on tho t,-barf, said besaw tho deceased sometime between "9 p.m. and 9.45. n.m. on. ' Friday; Deceased", was near to tie hulk. Oreti, and had one foot on the'stringer arid one on the wharf, attempting to get aboard. Witness "ordered, him off tho wharf, knowing, that a few weeks pre-, viously ho (Stevens) had had an accideht at the same hulk.' Stevens turned to walk , nway, and that was the last witness saw of. him. ' To Mr. O'Regan, witness said Stevens was about 30ft. from the gangway when ■witness saw him. Constable Tait deoo'sed to seeing deceased in front of the.Pier Hotel at about 25 minutes'to 10 on Friday night. Ho showed signs of drink. Witness said, "You've'been drinking again, Alec," and Stevens replied, "It's all right, Mr.. Tait." Witness then said, "You'd better got . away-from hero and not'bo sleeping out a night like this." Stevens then walked ' straight over to the wharf, and that was . the last witness saw of him., Stevens was in the habit of-sleeping on the hulks arid about tho wharf, and had no fixed place' of abodo. " At times ho drank' a good deal. Constable Murray gavo evidence as .to . the finding of. the body. • The coroner returned a verdict of '"Found drowned."