The Evening Post. SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1865. INQUEST ON CAPTAIN JOHNSTON, LATE OF THE LADY DARLING.

Evening Post, Issue 117, 24 June 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1865. INQUEST ON CAPTAIN JOHNSTON, LATE OF THE LADY DARLING.

This morning, at ten o'clock, au inquest was held on the body of Captain Johnson , late master of the s.s. Lady Darling. Mr. Watson, purser of that vessel, deposed that on Thursday night, about half-past ten o'clock, the vessel being off Cape Campbell, lie heard the man at the wheel call out to the chief officer to come aft, and from the tone ef. his voice concluded something had happened ; he jumped out of bed, dressed, and went on deck, ar.d saw the captain lying on his back under the wheel, with his head towards the stern, perfectly still ; the chief officer, chief engineer, one of the seamen, and himself, brought the captain into the cabin, and bathtd his forehead and administered restoratives, but he never «poke afterwards ; foundrtt large open wound on the back of deceased's head, about the size of a crown piece ; it was not bleeding much ; saw no other mark j consulted the mate, who decided that as tlu-y had a head wind to Lyttelton it would be better to run into Wellington ; they were then about 35 milos from that port ; on their arrival gave information to the police. In answer to a juror, Watson gaid be did not witness the accident. John Costello, fjhlet officer of the Lady Darling, was next examine.!-— At ten o'clock on the night in question the captain came on the bridge and asked witness if he saw the land ; the night was cloudy, and it was blowing strong from the south ; the captain inquired if he could see Cape Campbell, when he replied it bore south-west, distant seven miles ; he then said he would take a rest ; they were on their way to Lyttelton ; ten minutes after, witness went afr, and saw the captein standing at the companion smoking ; the ship fell off soi ith eaat at the time ; witness desired the man at the w heel not to let the ship fall so ; he said he could not avoid it, as a squall had struok her ; with the helm hard down die fell off ; witness came forward on the bridge again, and had not been there more than ten minutes when John Watkins, the man at the wheel, called on him to come aft, as he thought the captain was killed ; went aft, and saw him lying with his head on the wheel-block, motionless, and he thought stunned ; lifted him up, and called for assistance, when Watson, Peterson, and the chief engineer came ; sought among the passengers for a surgeon, but there was not one on board ; brought him to the cabin and administered restoratives ; bathed his temples with brandy ; he never spoke ; examined his head,

anil found a hole on the back of it in which lie oould lay his two fingers ; undressed him and put l)im into his bed ; did not see the enptain fail ; was on the bridge at the time ; continued on their course, but at five o'clock in the morning finding tiny were not making more than two knots nn hour, from a head wind and lnavy sea, put back to Welli gton, where they arrivid at ten o'clock ; saw no blow stuick, add did not hear any call from the captain while on the bridge ; could have hoard a cull if it did s.ot I low so hard ; did in it see the captain at (he wheel ; he often sissistid the steersman in bad weather. To Captain lia.ll — The steering apparatus is three single blocks pa nil side s the Lady 1) .rlhni kicked heavily when the sea would strike under her counter ; the spoke of the wVel which struck the captain was recently bioken ; it was sound when he saw it at ten o'clock on the night alluded to. John Wiitkins, ablo seaman, serving on board the Lady D.irling, deposed to having relieved the man at the wheel at five minu'es ptist ten, on Thursday night, which was very dark ; got from the man at the wheel the course to steer; took the wheel from him ; the captain was then standing i,n the ladder of the companion, with his back to them ; about a quarter past ten told the captain to send another man to assist him, as he could not manage it ; the captain made no answer, but went to the wheel himself ; about ten minutes after he had been there a squall struck the ship, and she fell off to southwcut ; coming up to the south-west with helm hard a port, a heavy sea struck her under the starboard counter, she gave a heavy lurch, the wheel was wrenched from his hand, throwing him on the spindle ; saw the captain dragged under the wheel ; heard a blow, and saw the captain lying on his back motionless ; he never spoke to witness ; left the wheel to get help, and called out to the the chief officer, Mr, Costello, that the captain was killed j he immediately came ; when he was steering the spokes were all sound ; six hours after, at four o'clock in the morning, found one of the spokes broken. To a Juror— The captain was perfectly sober when coming to the wheel. Surgeon Meredith examined the body of deceased, and found a wound at the back of the head in which he could put his three fingers ; believed the wound was caused by a blow from some heavy blunt substance, and was sufficient to cause death, and that death resulted from that wound ; the bone was fractured, and pressed on the brain ; the wound described might have been caused by a blow from the spoke of a wheel revolving rapidly. Robert Paterson, providore of the Lady Darling, was examined but there was nothing to be added to to the evidence already given. Dr. Boor, the Coroner, said that was all the evidence to be given, and he could perceive no discrepancy in the testimony of the witnesses. The jury at once returned a verdict, that Captain Johnston's death was the result of accident.