CROMWELL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 269, 21 June 1867, Page 3

CROMWELL.

The body of the unfortunate Mr Thomas Shanley of this town, was recovered on Monday morning last in a small bay in the Molyneux, opposite Riley's Beach, by a Chinaman named Ah Gee. It appears that shortly after commencing work, Ah Gee waspcapsising some large stones into the river, \rken he saw a piece of sapling rise to the surface, Ah Gee took his shovel to bring the sapling to shore, and found that, before he had extricated it from the water, a human head and hand had risen to the surface : presently there appeared an entire human body, the upper part of which was entangled in a fork at one end of the sapling. Ah Gee at once called his mate, and they both pulled the body out of the water, and landing it on the beach, they at once went for the police —Sergeant Cassells and a constable were quickly on tho spot. The body when first found, had the appearance of being scarcely a day in the water, it was not in the least disfigured—the clothes were all complete—nothing being missing save the deceased's hat. Upon being searched by the police, there was found upon it a silver watch attached to a gold guardchain (the watch had stopped at one o'clock, about an hour after the deceased must have been in the water) L. 18 in bank notes, a pocketbook containing memoranda and 1.0.U.'s ; also, a chamois leathern bag containing , r > ounces 84 dwts of gold. The deceased was then conveyed i to his late residence at Cromwell. On the following day the district Coroner, H. ! \V. Uobinson, Ear]., held an inquest upon the I remains, at the Golden Age Hotel, when the j evidence confirmed exactly the facts which havo i already appeared in print respecting the melan- ! eholy occurrence. Dr Corse, who examined i !h; body, gave" '> -ta-itint.-d tvidenci that the deceased entered the water alive, and that there had been no violence. The jury returned a verdict that "deceased met his death through accidental drowning." Shortly after the inquest the remains were conveyed to their last resting place at the Cromwell cemctery,"followe<? by one of the largest concourses of people ever assembled on the banks of the Kawarau : many persons had come upwards of twenty miles to be present at the funeral ceremony. The service for the burial of the dead was performed by the Reverend Father Martin, who, after its conclusion, took the opportunity of addressing the large multitude present, and who were evidently much impressed with the reverend gentleman's discourse.