INQUEST.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 972, 7 August 1877, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at ten o’clock this morning, at the Hospital, on the body of James Smith, who was found drowned near the Stanmore bridge early yesterday morning. Mr B. Dewsbury was chosen foreman, and, after the jury had returned from viewing the body, the following evidence was taken : Edward Maples —I knew the deceased Smith, and saw him last alive on Sunday evening between half-past ten |and a quarter to eleven. Ho was then at my house— Barrett’s Hotel. Deceased seemed to be down in the mouth and low spirited, but in good health. I did not see him go up to bed that night. I had brought in the candles, and then went to take a look round, but I heard from his next door neighbor that he had gone up He must have gone to bed between ten and eleven o’clock. He slept in No. 11 room. I did not afterwards sec liim alive. I had had conversations all day on Sunday with him with respect to bis difficulties, and he was to have had a meeting of his creditors on Monday morning at eleven o’clock. From those conversations I thought he seemed downhearted as to what would be his future position. Deceased was a very sober man. He lived with me for over two years, and was always an early riser. I very seldom found him in bed after eight o’clock. I have recognised the body as that of James Smith. By a Juror— I know deceased’s bed had been slept in on Sunday night, but I cannot gay at what hour lie left theliouse. James Cowley—X reside about 150 yards Stoutwd bridge# X wis

over the temporally footbridge about twenty minutes past seven yesterday morning, when I saw the lef t shoulder of a man in the water and the rest of the body lying just under the surface. The body was lying on its right side. I rapped up Mr Leek on the ot her side of the bridge, and then gave information at the police depot. I have seen the body in the dead house. It is the one I saw in the water.

Samuel Mura ford—l am a carpenter living in Christchurch. About a quarter to eight on Monday morning I was down at the Stanmore bridge going to my work. One of the men called out that there was a man in the river. I said, “We’d better see andget him out,” and we did so, and laid him on the bank. The man was dead, but the body was warm and could not have been in the water long. The body in the dead-house is the one wo took out of the water. The deceased could have walked into the river himself where we found him, as we could see tracks upon the mud near him quite plainly. 13y the iroreman—We could see the man was perfectly dead. Ho had been under the water twenty minutes from the time ho was first seen until wo took him out. Constable Mackintosh —I removed Ihe body of deceased from the bank of the river, near Stanmore bridge, about eight o’clock on Monday morning. I brought it to the Hospital and searched the pockets. I found in the inside coat pocket the summonses and bills produced, and in the left-hand trousers pocket nine shillings and a halfpenny. There was also a knife in one of the pockets. There were no marks on the body that I could see, and it was fully dressed. Detective Benjamin —I went to No. 11 room at Barrett’s Hotel at nine o’clock yesterday morning. I found the letter produced, lying exposed in an open drawer. It was closed in the ordinary way, and I sealed it up in the presence of Mr Maples, and afterwards handed it to deceased’s son. Edward Smith —I am son of the deceased. I received the letter produced from Detective Benjamin. I recognise the handwriting and signature as those of my father. I believe there were some difficulties which were worryiutr uiy father. I saw him last about halfpast three o’clock on Saturday afternoon. I left town then. This was all the evidence, and the Coroner read the letter written by deceased to Ids son, which was to the effect that everything seemed to be working against him, and he found it hard to bear up under his difficulties. The Coroner told the jury that, though the letter showed that deceased was in difficulties, there was nothing to show that ho had deliberately drowned himself. However, it would be for them to judge after having heard the witnesses.

The jury, after a very short deliberation, returned a verdict of “ Found Drowned.”