STEWART’S ISLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3841, 16 June 1875, Page 2

STEWART’S ISLAND.

By the arrival of the cutters from Stewart’s Island news has reached us of the death of two men at the island during the last two weeks; one an old settler named John Loutit, and the other named Robert Gibson. It appears the first mentioned left Half Moon Bay in a boat to proceed to his own residence at the mouth of the bay, and has not been heard of since. The wind was blowing strong at the time right out of the harbor, and it is supposed that he had been carried oat to sea. He has resided on the island for the last tsn years, and during that time had earned for himself a good reputation from all with whom he was brought into contact. The other, Robert Gibson, has for some time been working both at the Bluff and Stewart’s Island, and during the last month had been in Dunedin, where it is supposed he had been drinking heavily. He went over to Stewart's Island a short time ago to take charge of a cutter in the oyster trade, and after arriving there showed uumistakeable signs of either insanity or ddirivm tretneru. He was therefore closely watched by his two mates, who relinquished their work on purpose to attend to him, and who supplied him with what drink they could procure, to try and bring him round again. However, no change for the better seems to have taken place up to the time when the supply of grog ran out, when painkiller was adopted as a substitute, which was supplied him in small quantities. Just before daylight on the morning of the 4th inst. he rushed out of the door of the house where he lived, along the beach. He was immedia' ely followed by his two mates, who, however, in the dense darkness, mistook the direction in which he had gone, and ran the opposite way. After searching for some time without success, they decided upon giving up looking for him until daylight, when they traced his footprints along the beach for some distance, and then suddenly the marks turned at right angles, and led right into the water. A search was accordingly made by two boats, and Gibson’s body was found next morning in about sft of water. An inquest was held in Horseshoe Bay, and a verdict of “ drowned during a fit ot temporary insanity ” brought inby the jury. Neither of the deceased have friends in the Colonies, but Gibson, it is said, has left the address of his friends at Home with one of his mates, to whom he had stated that he knew he would get away from them shortly. Loutit was well known amongst all the ola identities of Invercargill as “ Old John,” who, in olden times, used to boat between' Invercargill and Mokomoko.—‘Southland Times,’