FATAL DROWNING CASE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2223, 12 April 1881, Page 3

FATAL DROWNING CASE.

Tho “Hawke’s Bay Herald” of April sth, gives the particulars of a sad accident which happened on board the cutter Clara on Sunday afternoon, resulting in the loss of a seaman named Joseph Graham, The Clara left the Spit on Saturday at midnight with the intention of Eroceeding to Mohaka, but the wind being rom the N.B. she was forced to come to an anchor off Petano Yalley on Sunday morning. At about 1 p.m., there being a heavy swell on, Captain Forney thought it would be advisable to return to harbor. With this object Graham was engaged in lifting tho anchor, and had got some 12 fathoms in out of tho 30 fathoms to which she was riding, when the fall of tho winch canted, while tho sudden jerk on the chain carried tho lever of the winch forward and tho man with it. The lever came with such weight on the rail as to split it, (and it is presumed flat Graham must have hit his head with like force on the rail and got stunned. He fell overboard and was seen but for a minute by Captain Ferney under tho bluff of tho bow and then disappeared. There was thus nobody left on board the cutter but Captain Ferney, who slipped the cable, and, after standing off and on the scene of the accident for an hour, boro up for tho vessels in tho roadstead, where he got assistance to bring his croft to port. Captain Ferney yesterday went in search of the body os far up the Petane beach as tho little bluff, but could see nothing of it. Tho unfortunate man was aged about twenty-six years. He came out here in the Lady Jocelyn, and has ainoe been engaged in tho coasting trade in tho Albatross and other boats, tho schooner Josephine being the lust. From her he shipped into tho Clara at Poverty Bay about a month ago. The deceased was a quiet and orderly young follow. It is not certain whether he leaves any relatives in the colonies, though it is believed ho had a brother in Auckland or Dunedin.