DEATH BY DROWNING OF MR. JOHN HAY, EDITOR OF THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1173, 16 November 1871, Page 2

DEATH BY DROWNING OF MR. JOHN HAY, EDITOR OF THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT.

' Mr. John Hay, the editor of the Wellington Independent, met with a watery grave in Wellington harbor on the night of Saturday last, 11th inst. We take the following report of the inqnesu on the body from the Independent of Tuesday last : An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock, at the European Hotel, before Dr Johnston, Coroner, and a jury, as to the death of Mr John Hay, late Editor of the Wellington Independent, who had been found drowned on the beach, La in boon quay, on the previous day. The jury first proceeded to view the body, after which the following evidence was adduced : Dr Grace deposed : Yesterday about 4 p.m. J inspected the body of the deceased, which was then lying in the European Hotel. There was a scratch or a bruise perceptible on the forehead which in my opinion must have taken place before death. It was a very tritiins; injury, and would have no serious result* in itself, it might have been done by failing into shallow water on the beach. From other symptoms about the body I judge that deceased had been drowned. I examined the deceased for any other external signs of violence but found none, only the signs always found after drowning. Alex, Raid deposed :—I am SubEditor of the Wellington Independent. I was in company with the deceased on Saturday evening. I was with him until about a quarter past 11 o'clock, which was the last time I saw him alive. I then left him in Willis-street near to Cietorn House street. I parted with him in a perfectly friendly manner, wishing him "goodnight.'' I understood he was going home, as he resided in Willis-street, a short distance from where I left him. On parting with him, I proceeded along Manners street, to Taranaki street. We were at Greville's News Room together for a considerable time in the early part of the evening, and then went to the Pier Hotel, where we remained in the billiard room for some time. From there went to Donnecker's where Mr Hay had some supper. A.ftei that we had some oysters at the Galatea oyster Saloon, and shortly afterwards wt; parted company. The deceased was in unusually good spirits during the whole of the afternoon and evening. Towards the latter por tion of the evening, however, he became drowsy and sleepy, I knew that he had been up till nearly five o'clock on the previous morning, and had not had his regular rest. I heard nothing more of the deceased until half-past two p.m. on the following day when I was told that he had been drowned. I also ascertained that, subsequent to my parting with him, he had been seen at the Empire Hotel. We were on the most friendly terms together, and his whole conversation during the evening was cheerful and livelv.

William Sellar-i deposed : I am night watchman at the Empire Hotel. I saw the deceased last alive at 12 o'clock on Saturday night. He was-then sitting on a sofa in a front room on the ground floor of the hotel. At 12 o'clock it becomes my duty lo turn off the lights and to clear the House of those who are not boarders I consequently woke Mr Hay and told him we were closing for the night. He at once got up and walked out of his own accord, walking out of the house quite steadily. He appeared fatigued, and T knew that he had been up very late during the week, and attributed his fatigue to that cause. The deceased had no drink in the Empire Hotel. When he left the house he went in the directian towards the wharf. Benjamin Ling deposed : f am a butcher, residing on Lambton Quay, Wellington. Yesterday, between 12 and 1, Mr Gear called my attention to something lying opposite our shop on the beach. I sent one of the men down to see what it was. He shortly returned, stating that it was a human, body. I immediately gaye information to the police, and Sergeant Monaghan came down at once, and took charge of the body. I recognised the body as that of Mr Hay. 1 saw the body lying on the beach about 8 o'clock in tlie

morning, but thought it was an, old. mattrass, and took no further notice of it at the time. It was low water about 4 o'clock. The body was lying near to high water mark. ? Mr Reid (re called) deposed : We had a conversation about the steamer Sampson leaving on that night. I think I asked him if it was still intended that the Pheebe should sail that night, and he told me she had been postponed till Tuesday, but that the Sampson was likely to sail sooner. I replied that I thought it very improbable that any vessel would attempt to Wve the harbor on such a night, IJe did not signify at that time that he had any intention of going on board the steamer. Sergeant Monaghan deposed io tak 7 ing charge of the body ol the deceased the previous day on the beach, Lambton Quay. On searching the corpse, the hands of deceased's watch, pointed to 10 minutes past 12.. Mr Millar, F.S A., desired as a friend of the deceased to make a statement. Mi Hay had made enquiries during the day as to the time the Sampson- would sail, and was anxious to see his friends, who were to leave by her. Mr Millar thought it very probable that he had attempted to go on board, and had been blown off the wharf. This concluded the evidence, and the Coroner referred to Mr Millar's statement as a probable explanation of the accident, but considered that there was. only evidence of the circumstances under which the body had been found. The Jury at once returned a verdict of " Found Drowned."