THE LATE ACCIDENT AT SUMNER.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 194, 22 January 1875, Page 3

THE LATE ACCIDENT AT SUMNER.

THH INQUBBT. An inquest wan held yesterday at the Sumner Hotel, before J. W, S. Coward, Esq, coroner, on the body of Hector A. Bonn, one of the unfortunate men who was drowned on Wednesday last while attempting, with others, to cross the Sumner bar in a whaleboat. S. E. Horniman was chosen foreman, and, after the jury had viewed the body, the following efidence was taken : Joseph Day, examined, stated that the previous day, about noon, he and deceased, with others, went out to Whitewash to fish, and on their return, between 4 and 6 o’clock in the afternoon, a sea struck the boat in which they were, and she broached to and turned over, and they were all thrown out. He called out to the others to stick to the boat, and Bush (one of the party) got hold of him, and he swam with him. He (Bush) could not swim but held on to him, and they both got to the boat, She was bottom up at this time. Bush and he got on to the bottom of the boat, and whilst there, he saw deceased near the stern of the boat apparently sinking. He did not see him again after that. He had since seen and recognised the body. When they went out to fish he had charge of the boat. It was s Government boat. He had been accustomed for years to manage a boat. All the party were perfectly sober. He had the steer oar at the time of the accident. He had taken boats over the bar in a rougher sea than was on at the time. He thought the boat a seaworthy one. George Marshall examined, stated that he was travelling on the beach the previous night with another man. When about twenty or thirty chains from the cave, the man who was with him saw the body of deceased. They pulled it out of the water, and he remained with it while the other man went to the hotel and gave information. He waited with the body until the policeman arrived and took charge of it. George Cartnell, constable, stated that about two o’clock that morning he was informed that a body had been washed ashore at Sumner. He proceeded to the spot and saw the body of the deceased, who he was informed was Hector A. Bonn. He took charge of the body, and had it removed to where it then lay. He found on the body a silver watch, pipe, two match boxes, a knife, tobacco pouch, and handkerchief. The wife of the deceased came up and recognised the body as that of her husband. The coroner having asked some questions as to the competency of the steersman, and being satisfied in that respect, read over the evidence to the jury, who returned a verdict of “ Accidentally Drowned.”