CORONER'S INQUEST.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 303, 11 December 1886, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An enquiry was held on Tuesday last at the Court-house, Lyell, before Frank Bird, Esq., Coroner, and the following jury: William Burns, (foreman) Jaines Edge, Louis Carmine, H. Pearce, J. Egan, touching the death of H. E. Smithers. After the jury viewed the body the following evidence was taken : Charles Preshaw : I am* apprenticed as a compositor, residing at Lyell. On Monda} - , December 6th I saw a body floating about in the Buller river near Lyell creek, the same as I have viewed to-day. I helped with others to pull it out oi the water. The body was beyond identification in consequence of decomposition. Henry Goddard: I am a miner residing at Upper Buller. I recollect Sunday, 3rd October last. I was at Oxnam's hotel on" that occasion, and heard,

Smithers' voice on the premises, 1 believe in the bar. The body I viewed to-day I believe to be that of Smithers. I heard him say that he would go to the punt on his way home, cooey for the ferryman and it he did not come over in ten minutes he would swim the river. Smithers did not have any row at Oxnam's to my knowledge. Ido not think that from anything that took place at Oxnam's that Smithers met with foul play subsequent to leaving the house. By the foreman: I cannot say if Smithers was sober when I heard his voice in Oxnam's. There were three other men in the bar with him. I have kuown deceased for six months, and do not think that he drank much. He left Oxnam's abo'at 8 o'clock iu the evening. George Pulilen : I am a miner resid.ng at Upper Builer. I recollect Sunday 3rd October last. I was at Oxnam's hotel that afternoon and saw a man named Smithers there. The body 1 have viewed to-day I believe to be his. I had a conversation with deceased that afternoon but neither myself nor anyone there quarrelkd with h'm Tli3re were four of us there, and we were talking and having drinks. I left about 7.30 in the evening in company with Smithers and Hanseu. X-asked Smithers how he was io get home as the river was very high. He told me that if they did not come over for,kim in ten minutes he would swim the river. When we left the hotel we walked together until we met Peterson, who was riding. I then left the company and went on to Mrs Husband's, where I reside. Shortly after I arrived home Peterson and Hansen came in and remain-d there for nearly an hour. I have no reason to think that Smithers cama by his death through foul play. By the Coronor: I heard that Smithers was missiug on the following Tuesday sth instant. Not being able to swim I cannot form an idea of the feasibility of swimming the Builer river when in flood. I never heard of Smithers having quarrelled with i anyone in the district.

Arthur Husband: I am a miner residing at Upper Buller. On Sunday 3rd October I was at home. About 8 o'clock that evening two men Peterson and Hansen came to our house and remained about an hour. While they were inside Srnitliers came to the door looked in and passed some joke. He then went away towards Smith's ferry. They seemed to be good friends, appeared partly on the spree. Smithers appeared the most sober. Hansen and Peterson remained an hour after Smithers left, and when they did leave took a diiierent road to that taken by deceased. The body I viewed to-day I believe to be that of Smithers. Charles Bowden: I am a Mounted Constable of Police, stationed at Lyell. On Monday last it Was reported to me that a body was floating in the river. I searched the body. In the left trousers' ipcket I fouud a clay pipe ; in the watch jacket ot the vest a false tooth ; there was a belt and leathern sheath on the body, which I positively identify as belonging to deceased. There were only the remaius of a vest and trousers which answer the description of the clothes worn by deceased. The reason I identify the belt so positively is because deceased at one time while I was on duty in Hampden desired to change belts with me. Among hi* books a paper taken possession of by me I found that he was a married man and had a wife and family in England. His wife was an actress. He left a will in England with a firm of solicitors. All these books and papers I have torwarded to Inspector Emmerson, in Hokitika. The age of deceased would bo about 32 or 33, and from the frequent times I have seen him can say that he was not a man given to drink. From all enquiries I made since deceased's disappearance I arrive at the conclusion that he met his death by drowning while attempting to swim the Buller river in flood. [At this stage of the proceedings a telegram was handed to the Constable from Mr R. M'Nee, Hampden, in reply to enquiry, stating that on the 2nd instant deceased had purchased a pair of balmoral boots and a striped cotton shirt at the Cooperative store.J Coustable Bowden continued : The shirt or portion of same is a striped cotton one. There were no boots on the body. The jury retired and brought in the following verdict: " That H. E. Smithers was found dead in the Buller river on December 6th last but that there is no evidence to show how or on what date he met his death."