FOUND DROWNED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 78, 27 December 1919, Page 3

FOUND DROWNED

AN OLD MAN'S FATE * DEATH ON CHRISTMAS DAY The body of a retired express driver named John Creighton, 76 years of age, v- r; as ,I? UUl ' fi° a t' n K in tho harbour, near V ■ 1 , as2ow Wliurf, about half-pant threa ' ° ?m? ou urs day afternoon. Ills deceased resided with his sou and <• Uil ughter-iu-hiw at 257 Tinakori Road, V 5,"' 1 . 11 ® ion?® about 10.30 o'clock _on \ Christmas morning, when lio was appar- , ently in Rood health. About half-past \o tho same afternoon John Wynn a boilerI maker, saw deceased's body floating in 'the water near the Glasgow Wharf. . » vnn informed Constable J. M. Fleming of the discovery, and, in the menntime \ n launch owned by Mr. Humphries, of Hanson Street, towed tho body to tho Glasgow Wharf steps. Subsequently, Constable Fleming removed it to the morgue An inauest concerning the fatality was held bv Mr. P. L. Hollings, S.M., yesterday afternoon. Detective-Sergeant i\ Cox represented tho polioo. ■ •Tolin Alec Creighton, a driver, with whom deceased resided, stated that he last saw his father alivo at tea time 011 Christmas fiv<\ when he was in his usual 6tato of health. Deceased, who retired in 1915. had been living with witness and i, his wife since September, 1918. The house belonged to deceased. Of lato de- \ ceased had been very quiet and reserved, \ a 'id complained of noises in tho head. He had also consulted his lodge doctor. Deceased had acquired tho habit of rising early in tho morning, a thing which it was unusual for him to do, and ho would also confine himself to his- room. Witness Jiad declared that it was tho intention of his wife and himself to leave the house, and this information appear- , ed to ..worry deooascd. Deceased was ( slightly paralysed in one leg, but up till lately he had dono a good deal of walking. It was not usual'for him to, visit , the waterfront. There was nothing about his manner to indicate that he in- , tended to commit suicide. The relations nio between deceased and' witness 'l and his wife had been somewhat strained because of witness's intention of leaving tlio house. Witness psked deceased to accompany him to his new place of Tesi- • dence. but ho refused The manner of , deceased's end was quite unexpected be- ■ cause when he went out on Christmas morning it was thought that he had gone to. church. Lillian Alice Creighton, wife of the Previous witness, said she last 6aw deceased about 10 a.m. on Thursday. He was then well, and left the house about jialf-an-hour later. Witness had. no Jilen whore he was going. Sho did not think he ever visited the waterfront in the course of his walks. Deceased had not been on speaking terms with witness for several days, owing to the intention of witness and her husband to leave the house. 'That seemed to worry him, but witness.could not say whether he drowned himself on that account, for he had never at any time disclosed his intentions. Constable' Fleming, who removed the bodv to tho morgue, said there were no i marks of violence on the body, which apDeared to have been in the water for two ' or three hours. Amongst tho. effects found in the clothing was a sum of ,£ls fa. , . The Coroner returned a verdict of "Found drowned," thero being no evidenca to fchow how deceased got into the •' water.