FOUND DROWNED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1844, 27 August 1906, Page 3

FOUND DROWNED.

DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT. The dead body of Samuel Wilson, a laboring man aged about 69, was discovered Saturday morning in a fresh water lagoon on the property of M Francis Bates, of Matawhcro. That gentleman's little boy had discovered a coat on the previous evening, and this led to an immediate search by Mr Bates, who found footprints up to the edge of the water, and next morning, with Mr August Lange, whom lie had advised of the mystorons affair, saw a body, which was subsequently identified as that of Samuel Wilson, a trustworthy and iudustrious old man who had been in the employ of Mr Grattan Bradley and his father for over 16 years. The man had gone oil on the previous Saturday morning, and the fact that no concern was created by his absence is

explained by the old employee's habits. He had, as ho himself described it to a friend, a “ model home,” and also plenty of freedom ; it was his habit to go oil 1 occasionally and stay for a week at a time with friends. For three weeks before the tragic occurrence he had boon somewhat depressed, but whether or not this had anything to do with the after events there is nothing to show. Mr Daniel Quinn, who knew deceased well, thinks that he bad wandered into a locality that was not fsnnliar with bim, and in the darkness had not been able to reach the back again. An inquest was held on Saturday night at the Courthouse, and a verdict returned that decease! had mst his death by drowning, but that there was not suffioient evidence to show the cause of his getting into tho water. The inquest was held before Mr W. A. Barton, Coroner, and the following jury : Messrs E. C. Bolton (foreman) F. H. Creamer, 0. H. Butler, J. V. Macdonald, T. W. Gibbs, and H. T. Joner. S.rgeant ■Williams represented the police. The first witness was Mr Giatten Bradley, vvho deposed that owing to the disfigurement of the body he could not positively identify it. but ho believed it to be that of Samuel Wilson, who had been in the employ of witness and bis father for between 16 and 17 years. I last saw him alive,” said Mr Bradley, 11 about halfpast ten on the Saturday morning previous, tho 18ih inst. Ho was then goiDg for a abort walk along a bye street leading

from Childers road. I knew be was going for a walk, beoause that was his uanal T ouatom. He spoke to mo a 3 usual.” The Coroner : Had he been in a melon* cboly mood lately ? Witness : He bad been slightly de pressed in spirits for three or four weeks. Had ho been ill lately ? Witness ; He oomplained of being ill about three wet ks ego. and I had Dr. Morrison up to attend to him. The doctor prescribed for him, and he appeared to get much better after that. The Coroner : Did he ever say anything that would lead you to contemplate he it* tended to mske away with himself ?

Witness : No. Did it not Btriko you as s'racge that he did not return ? Witness: No. Had ho been in the habit of going away ? Yes, at times; he was in the habit of goiDg away t) visit friends in the oountiy. How long would he ususFy stay ? About a week or four or five dsys. Djnie! Qiinn, roadmin, residing at Matawhero, said he had seen the body, whioh he positively identified ns that of Samuel Wilson, whom ho had known for the past 20 yta-s He bad last eern him at Gisborne on the 3rd in.t, when bo was in bis usual healthy oheirful &tat". "Daring the 20 years I have k own him," said Mr Qainn, " he was always happy and oheertul, He always said ha had a porfeot home at Mr Bradley’s, and always led rue to believe that ho was very comfort ihlo tbeie.” The Dtxt witness was Mr Fraocis L ite?, farmer, of Matawhero. ”My little boy,” eaid Mr Bate?, referring to a brig! t li tle fellow not quito eight yesrs old, " found a man’s ooat closo to the lagoon as bo was coming bomo from school on F.iday afternoon at half past four. I vv.tb the boy, who showed ma where ho hod found ihe ooat, and I loc kad about to see if I oould find aoy traoe of the ownor. I found three footprints leading towards tho edge of the legoou; the last ono was on the edge of the water. I oould find nothing else that would enable mo to clear up the matter that r igbt, and in tho morciog (Saturday) I asked Mr August Lange, my neighbor, to coma ovor aod help ma to have a look round, which be did O i going back to tbo wetcihole I could see the hoad of a man in the water about (ihe centre of tbo lsgoon. I informed the police, and later on tho body was got out and conveyed to the morgu r . I aid nor know deceased.” Constable O’Hara gave evidence as to going out to the propeity of Mr Bates, who accompanied him to the lagoon, whei o the body was found in about the centie. The body was in an upright position, fully clothed with the exeept’oo of the hat and ooat. Mr Bates and witness brought the bedy ashore and had it conveyed to the morgue. Ho bad scarohed for the bat, but oould not find it. In reply to Mr Butler, the witness stated that be oould not tell the depth of_ the water; it was muddy and they could" not ties tbs bottom. In reply to the foreman os to the habits of the deceased, witness stated that ho hal periodio bouts of drinking, and on one occasion bad been locked.up, The Coroner said the jury should have no difficulty in arriving at a verdiot, and a dcoiaion waa all once arrived at.