FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT OFF PELICHET BAY.

Evening Star, Issue 4022, 17 January 1876, Page 2

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT OFF PELICHET BAY.

An inquest was held at the hospital at noon to-day on the body of Wm. M‘Court who was drowned iu the Upper Harbor on Saturday afternoon. The Cororcr explained that the chief object of the inquest was to see what measures could be taken to prevent licensed watermen letting thoir boats out to men unaccustomed to boatsailing. George Allen, storeman to Butterworth Bros., said ho had known deceased for sixteen months. He was entering clerk to Butterworth Bros., a member of tbe Church of England by religious persuasion, and a native d! Ireland. He arrived in the Colony about eighteen months ago. On Saturday deceased and witness hired a boat from Benjamin Davis to have a sail. They tacked about the harbor, and when off Grassy Point deceased took the helm, and witness, in a jocular manner, remarked that he would make a sailor of him. Deceased could not steer, and witness had to give him instructions. The sail suddenly came oyer from one side to the other, caused by deceased keeping her too close to the wind. The boat at this time was entirely in deceased’s control. The sail must have struck deceased, for witness heard a splash, but saw nothing of deceased either in the boat or in the water. Witness Iran aft, and deceased came up to the surface. He was about a boat’s length astern, and called out, “ George, George.” Witness was paralysed for the moment, and told deceased to have courage, and he would try to save him. Be called for help, and saw two boats—one to leeward and one to windward. They djd not appear to hear him. M‘Oourt remained above water for two or three minutes and then sank. Deceased during this time was struggling, but could not, swim. He did not rise again. Witness had been out boatiug frequently for amusement. Deceased knew but very little of boating, and had only been out three or four times previously. Witness could not swim very much. Alfred R. Sims stated that when boating on Saturday afternoon his attention was called to a man in the water, 400 or 500 yards astern. With his pupils in the boat, he made for the deceased, and called out to tho youug man in the boat to jump overboard and hold his comrade till witness could come up. Witness also called out to the deceased to keep his hands beneath tha water. This he did not do, and so sank about two minutes before witness could get to him. Witness dived unsuccessful y for him. Yesterday, witness with some sthers searched for the body. The water being within his depth, ho walked iu it and kicked the deceased’s body which rose, when a man named Anderson recovered it. Witness saw the boat an hour before the accident. The men in the boat s-emod to nvuinge her very well. Unless men hiving a boat were experienced, he was certainly of opinion that watermen should not be allowed to entrust boati to them.

Allan explained that he did not hear Sims calling to him. He did not think deceased coul .1 have heard him either.

Benjamin Davis, licensed waterman, state ! that deceased and his mate hired a boat from him on Saturday afternoon. He had let boats to them before. They seemed to manage the bo i fc pretty well. It was a fine afternoon fo> boating. Witness always asked strangers on airing a boat whether they could handle a boat. He had often refused to let out his boats. William Anderson, who was In Mr Sims’s

boat when the accident occurred, said that the boat in which deceased was was not well managed. Tim Jury found that the deceased was accidentally drowned and r lhe Coroner remarked that the men seemed unable to control the boat. It would be as well if watermen would not let their boats to those unaccustomed to boating, unless a man who understood it was sent out with them.