DEATH BY DROWNING.

Evening Star, Issue 4108, 27 April 1876, Page 2

DEATH BY DROWNING.

We regret to have to report the occurrence of a melancholy accident near Port Molyneux on Sunday last, by which a little boy eleven years of age, youngest son of Mr . •-“i Jenkinson, Joat his life. An inquest into the cause of the death was held at the rarmers Armsi Hotel, Balclutha, on Tues“®y>. by Dr J. G. Smith, corone for the district, and a jury. The evidence then led was to the effect that on Sunday morning, the deceased and his brother, two yeai-s older, left their father s house about daybreak to shoot docks on a dam on the Bahratta Creek, about a mile and a-half distant. Having arrived at the dam and shot a duck, the two boys made use of a box which was upon the dam, for the purpose of procuring their game. They both got into the box, and when they had reached the centre of the dam the hoys by some means capsized it, ij b ein g thrown into the water. The ®v™ boy managed to right the box and get his brother into it, hut by this time the younger had apparently lost his reason, and struggled considerably. He thus several times upset the box, the elder brother, however, always managing to get the deceased on again. While both were in the box, two men who had heard the cries cooeyed, and 'deceased, upon hearing this, in his delirium gave a sudden start or struggle, and slipped off the box into deep water. The elder brother was by this time so benumbed with cold as to be unable to hold him. The deceased sank and did not again come to the surface. Upon the arrival of the Messrs Shields, whose cooey had been heard, they made a flax rope, which they threw to the survivor, who with difficulty still retained his seat on the box. The rope he put round his waist, and jumped from the box towards the shore, causing the box to lurch, which was the means of bringing the body of the deceased to the surface. Upon seeing the body ©ne of the Messrs Shields swam in and brought it out. Blankets, bottles of hot water, and other appliances were used for about four hours to restore animation, but without effect.

The jury having heard the evidence, returned a verdict of “accidental death,” and the suggestion was expressed that the box should be removed from the pond, so that others might not be tempted to use it for a similar purpose. ‘ Clutha Leader.’