THE DROWNING CASE

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 842, 17 March 1903, Page 3

THE DROWNING CASE

An inquest was held yesterday morning concerning the death of Ivur Hoiby, before Captain Chrisp, acting-coroner, and the following jury :—Messrs J. 11. Ormond (foreman), T. Garrett, A. Searle, A. Keefer, W. S. Sutton, aud A. Wynd. Constable Farmer represented the police. The evidence bore out the report given in yesterday’s Times. I Charles Hausen deposed that he was on the beach at 9.15 on Sunday morning. I There wore three hoys bathing in the surf. O.io appeared to be a long way out. IHe was swimming. Witness walked past I the boy, who appeared to be all right. I When he hud got two chains away, one of the boys named Parsons, who had been in I the water, came after witness, and stated I that a boy bad got too far out aDd wanted assistance. Witness went back, pulling his sbirt off as he rao along. He went out with his trousers on about five chains i from the breakers, swimming, took the boy on his back, and got him inside of the first break. Witness then discovered deceased close to him, Hoiey evidently having come to his assistance. Deceased said : “ Give me the boy, and I’ll give you a spell.” Witness gave him the bov, undressed in the water, and went ashore. When hereachedthe beach he could not

■stand up, and was much exhausted. He sent a boy for help. When he got back on the beach he looked to see what Hoiby was doing, and could only

see one head. Deceased was missing, and the boy was Heating about. Witness then made a second attempt to recover the boy, but did not succeed. Two other men had arrived by this time, one of whom went into the water and brought the hoy to land. Witness told the other

men thut deceased had disappeared, and the three of them remained on the beach looking for Hoiby for 20 minutes, when they concluded that he was drowned. The men were Arthur Richards and George

Bach. There was a considerable break on the beach. Deceased was known to be a good swimmer. Deceased had six or seven chains to run before ho took ths water. He had been in for a bathe.

Douglas Menzies, who was not sworn, stated he was swimming on the Waikanae beach in company with two other boys. Witness was a good swimmer, and did not go out much further than the other boys. They swam a good way outside the breakers. He did not know how ho got

back to shore, but felt when he was out

side of the breakers as if ho were gomg to be drowned.

Harrison SolvaDder, carpentor, stated he wub on tho Waikanae beach about 10 o’clock, when he heard there was a map drowned, and stayed there for some time. At about 11.45 he noticed un arm wash up in the breakers, and witness waded out

and brought tho body ashore. With his uncle witness brought the body on shore and waited till Constable Doyle came and took charge of it.

By a juryman : The body was quite cold and stiff when brought ashoro. The Acting-Coroner pointed out that it was 9.15 a.m. when tho accident took

place and 11.45 betore the body awas re

covered, and deceased had boen in the water over two hours.

Without retiring the jury brought in a verdict *• That the deceased, Ivar Jacobus Hoiby, on March 15, 1903, at the Wai-

kauao beach, Gisborne, was accidentally drowned while endeavoring to rescue from

drowning Douglas Menzies.” After the verdict had been given the Acting Coroner made special reference to

,he brave conduct of Mr Hansen. He

said that the prompt action of Mr Hansen and others deserved the highest commendation.