INQUEST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 541, 9 January 1868, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest was lield at the Shakespeare Hotel on the afternoon of Tuesday last, on the body of William John Jew, a little boy aged two years and three months, who was drowned in the lagoon opposite Batteryroad. before Thomas Hitchiogs, Esq., Coroner, and the following jury : James Symonds (foreman!, George Bowman, John Coe, William Cossey, Richard Donovan, Joseph LeQuesne, John Ferguson, W, F. Palmer. William Robinson, James' H. Torr, William Walsh, and Charles Travers. Bridget Jew, sworn, deposed : I am the I wife of Samuel Jaw, steward of the Scar of the South, and mother of the deceased. I last saw the child alive on Monday ; I do not exactly know the time, but think it must have been between 1 and 2 o’clock. He was accustomed to play on the road in front of the house, beside the water. I think it was about a quarter of an hour afterwards that he was brought into my house by Mrs Symonds. He appeared then to be dead. We did what we could for him, and sent for Dr Thorpe, who attempted to restore him for about an hour, but without avail. His face was bruised when ho was brought in. This was dona after he had left the house, for he had no bruises previously. He was a fineliealthy child.

Timothy Cleary, deposed ; I am a laborer. Yesterday, shortly before 3 o’clock, I was driving my cart along Battery-road, and saw a child in the water in front of Mr Palmer’s house. I drew it out and gave the alarm. It appeared to be quite dead. The tide was nearly high. Thera were some large stones in the water near the child.

a juryman : The child was floating on its back—its head to the embankment, and its feet outwards. The face was not quite covered with water. The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of “Accidentally drowned."