\.y THE BATHS;fIYSTERY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1623, 14 December 1912, Page 7

\.y THE BATHS;fIYSTERY.

]■■■■'■. . \ -;■;.;.;.-;o-; >; \ ■■-■ , \ CORONER'S INQUIRY;; ; DBAQGINQBTCUSTODIAN -Afeb HIS :': ■ ■■■ v •'.-■■■■^.•-■•BONi-;••:■■■ ;';-.•/. ;// : ' .■■ The -drowning; bf-'Reginald Jounnax, telegraph messenger,-aged 16; years,-at , Te . . •' Aro baths on Wednesday' was' tho subject of an inquest held yesterday.' -The City Coroner. (Dr. Sl'Ar&ur) presided.' 1 ' ' Evidence" was given by. the 'mother of the deceased, 1 who .stated that hef-eon was 15 years of age/and had beeu-.in-the telegraph servico forvatout , 'two. yearsi -She last saw deceased at 2.30 p.m:'on Wednesday last; '■.-Eβ , was then "leaving, for Aro baths, and he was to go on duty at : 6 o'clock thateve"nin§f.\Deceased was not coming home-fortea,' but was going-to his cousin's" house .iii Bonlcott Street. Mrs. M.''E: "Lainb, assistant at the Te . ■■ Aro, baths,: stated thatsheknew deceased by sight. "She-6aw him.enter the baths '.: ■ on the afternoon in question. During the - whole day about.: 1000 persons;. entered ■ ■.■ the baths. ■'. :'- '.''■" ■'''■'■■■" ' "■;'' Albert WiUon. custodian of thp laths, also stated, that he know deceased by At' closing p.m.—he found in room 48, a telegraph messenger's.uni r form and underclothing. .\At that.time there were only -four "persons, .in ;tho batts. Hβ.could not:ind ( 'the owner of the clothing .in .room .48; .and he subsequently "wmmuniaited , withtho'. police. Dragging; bper'ations, .by himself and his son, were' tlieri , 'res'orte:! . to. ..Constable MTCelvie arrived at, 8 p.m. and the draggins, was continued until .10.'p.m.,"but without any'"discovery.; , : The search was continued at' i.SO'.a.m. next day, and, half ■ an hour later,'th'e.Body was found in the centre, of the baths, ..opposite the chute. : In reply/to' , a witness stated that, at 4.80 p.m.,.ifwashlout half-tide. The tide was then coming '.in. ' : .Constable JI r Kelvie,. stationed, at; Clyde ' ■ Quay, gave. .evidence, as.to' the; search and finding 1 of the body. He examined the body at. : the inorgue, but ..could riot find nny marks of violence. The depth '■■ of water in which deceased was found at ■ the time' of the discovery would be about sft.' or 6ft..'.at. low. .tide. No medical', evidence was given.'.. • ' i No portion of went to show how. :, de,ceased:'.'came by ,his denth. ■and the Coroner's verdict was to' the effect ' that he • was accidentally. drowned, at the To Aro 'battis" oh' }V?driesday: last; ■_..;;. ThoCoroner" added that ,no'blame" was a'ttachaUo *to the 'fcafetaker, and that it was possible for,anybody.;,to go into the baths in a/crowd 1 , and', not be; missed.. :