BODY IN CANOE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1927, Page 4

BODY IN CANOE

A GRUESOME FIND. AUCKLAND, Oct. 24. Gently rising and falling to the swell of the Caribbean Sea. a dug-out canoe, containing the dead body of a negro, was picked up by the steamer Tongariro, which arrived at Auckland last night. ’Flic throat and stomach of the dead man, who bad evidently met bis deatli some days previously, were badly slashed. It was on the afternoon of September 29th. when the Tongariro was within a day and a half’s steam of Colon, at the Atlantic, entrance to the Panama Canal, that a member of the crew sighted the drifting dug-out on the starboard how. As the steamer passed fairly close to the canoe it was seen that it contained the body of a man. As soon as the matter was reported to the master the Tongariro reduced speed and circled round, finally stopping within close distance of the drifting* canoe. The weather being fine with a smooth sea. a boat in charge of the Chief Officer was lowered and sent away to make investigations. On coming up to the dug-out the lioat’s crew from the Tongariro beheld a sickening sight. Lying on the bottom of the canoe was the naked body of a negro. The man had Keen dead for some days and his body was considerably decomposed. Closer examination showed that his throat had been slashed from ear to ear, while there was also an ugly Wound in his stomach. In the boat was found a small hand grip containing several clean shirts and collars. A hat with the name of a firm in the Argentine was beside the Iwg. hut there was nothing to establish the identity of the dead man. A blunt knife, much rusted, was found in the bow of the dug-out. h' t it did not appear that the wounds which had caused the mail’s death had been made hy the knife. As the hodv of the negro was badly decomposed, the dug-out was weighted with fire irons and sunk by the crew of the Tongariro's boat. On arrival, at Colon the affair was reported to the shore authorities,