FATAL SUPPOSED ACCIDENT AT THE TAIPO.

Kumara Times, Issue 1567, 5 October 1881, Page 2

FATAL SUPPOSED ACCIDENT AT THE TAIPO.

INQUEST ON THE BODY. ♦ An inquest was held yesterday, at noon, at the Post-office Hotelj on the body of John Robinson, who was drowned on Monday last in the Taipo river. E. Barff, Esq., J.P., officiated as Acting Coroner. A jury of thirteen were sworn, and Mr Rudkin held the position of foreman. The first witness called was George Dyer, who deposed that he was a coach-driver; that be had seen the body of deceased, and had recognised it as that of John Robinson, commonly known as “Pewter Jack.” He had known him for about two months. On Monday, 3rd inst., he asked for a lift in the coacli as far as Harris’s. When be asked him, it was at Jackson’s. Witness allowed him to ride in the coach. The coach stopped at MTnerney’s, at the Taipo, and witness did not observe anything wrong abont the deceased. There were no signs of drink upon him, except that he appeared as if he had been drinking some time previous. He sat inside, on the back seat. He bad two small glasses of beer at M‘lnerr.ey’s. He appeared to bo sober when the coach left there. Within a minute of leaving, they commenced to cross the Taipo river. As they were entering the water, witness called out to deceased to “ sit tight,” and the answer received was “ I am all right, George.!’ The reason for speaking was that there were boulders in the river-bed. When the coach was in the deepest part of the river, witness saw a hat floating on the water. He then saw deceased floating down the river. He was away at that time about fifteen or sixteen yards, and appeared to be attempting to swim. He immediately went over the falls, into the. deep water, and disappeared. Witness pulled up the horses, and cooeved for assistance. A man commonly known as “ Taranaki Jack,” and Mr MHoerney ran down. They were there within a minute. Witness drove out of the river, and taking the leading horse from the team, galloped down srteam. On reaching a distance of about three hundred yards, he met Mr M'lnerney, who informed him that “ Jack had got him.” Witness then galloped away to M'lnerney’s, obtained some brandy, and took it to where the body lay. On arriving there, the body showed no signs of life. Deceased was in the water about ten minutes. The river was low, and witness had crossed it when it was much higher. The second passenger sat beside witness on the box. He was perfectly sober. He minded the horses while witness was absent.

In answer to questions from jurymen, witness started that he did not think it possible for deceased to have tumbled out of the coach. He always gave passengera a warning to hold on tight previous to crossing the river. If deceased had jumped out, and fallen on his feet, he might have saved himself, but if he did not, be would have hardly any chance. Witness observed no mark on the face of deceased previous to his getting into the coach. Robert Boyd deposed that he was a groom, residing at the Bealey. He was a passenger by the coach. A man named John Robinson got into the coach at Jackson’s. He asked to have a lift as far as Harris’s. He did not appear to be drank, but It could be seen that he had a glass or so. He was well able to get into the coach. He was quite capable of taking care of himself. The coach jolted heavily over the boulders in crossing the Taipo. The river was low, and the driver warned deceased that it was a rough ford, and to hold on tight. When the coach was more than half across the river, he said to witness that there was a man going down the river, and on looking, witness saw a man going down the rapids. On looking inside the coach, it was found that there was no one there. The driver drove over the river very slowly. He was perfectly sober. The driver pulled np the horses, and on cnoeying for assistance, two men came running from the hotel. The driver galloped down stream, and witness stayed to take charge of the remaining horses, and while so doing, he observed a man pull something out of the river, which he took to be the body. That was seven or eight minutes after he saw the body floating down the river. Witness did not notice any cut ou the forehead of deceased.

John Oxenham deposed that he was? a cattle driver, and knew the deceased. Between 1 and 2 p.m. on Monday last, his attention was called to the fact that someone was in the river. On running down the hanks, he saw a man in the water, but on the opposite side of the river. There was no apparent struggle on the part of the deceased. Witness

for led the river, and on reaching thA opposite bank, found the body of de l ceased foul of a stone. He pulled the body out, and lifted it by the heels, to let the water out. There were no signs of life. The place where the body was pulled out was about six or seven hun* dred yards below where the coach forded the river. Witness was of opinion that the body must have been in the water about' fifteen minutes. The body remained on the bank abont ten minutes, and then it was removed in a cart.

In answer to a question by a juryman, witness stated that he noticed a cut on the forehead of deceased, and also a slight mark on one of the hands. Michael M'lnerney gave evidence to the effect that he knew the deceased, and last saw him alive on Monday, 3rd inst. He seemed in good health. He was in the habit of drinking, but witness never saw him drunk, and did not observe any sign of drink on him. He wanted to have brandy, but witness thought that he might have been drinking, and refused to serve it, He had two small nobbier glasses of beer. He was asked to have some dinner, but he refused. Thomas Power deposed that he was a coach driver, and knew the deceased. He saw him on Saturday last, and he then had his hat off. Witness observed a dark mark over one of his eyes, but could not say if it was a scar. Constable Chambers proved that Otl searching the body of the deceased, he found thereon seven shillings in one of his browsers pockets. Sergeant Emerson deposed to the fact of having found a £1 note in the swag which had belonged to the deceased.

This concluded the evidence. After a few minutes’ consideration, the jury returned the following verdict :—■“ That the deceased, John Robinson, was accidentally drowned by falling out of a coach while crossing the Taipo river.”