THE INQUEST.

Manawatu Herald, 12 January 1897, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

The inquest was opened at tht Court house and the evidence taken in a room in Mr Walsh's houses, kindly placed at the disposal of tht Coroner for the sake of Mrs Sawyers. The jury were Messrs J. M. Hibbert (foreman), A. R. Osborne, F. W. Eure, J. J. Birchley and B. T. Betty. The following evidence wat taken : Clara Buth Sawyers, being sworn, said — I am the wife of William Henry Sawyers, a mariner, of Wellington ; the deceased were my daughters, Clara Bird sixtean yean of age, and Annie Clyde thirteen years old ; we left about sine o'clock yesterday morning for a picnic at tht lake on Herrington ; Mrs Simpson and htr obildren were with me ; the deceased could not swim ; I can swim yery little: Sarah Ann Simpson, being sworn, said — I am the wife of George Simpson, residing at Foxton ; yesterday morning I went down to the nearest lake on the Herrington run with Mrs Sawyers, my own children, and the deceased ; all the cnudren went in for a bathe, and after they had been in a few minutes a son of M&Walker'a called oat,. Clydie was drowning ; Mrs Sawyers and rflyself ran to the shore and Mrs Sawyers

ran into the water and got out of her depth; I threw a rope to Mrs Bawyen, who got hold of it, and I dragged her out ; she said she had reached Clydie'f leg, but in saving herielf lost her hold; Birdie went into the water to try and tave Clydie, and got out of her depth, and I saw the ohildren both sink out of sight ; when Mri Sawyers got out she Insisted on going in again, and I tied the ropo to her waist and she M waded out to near where the children ~ were, but failing to reach them though she was under the water some time, I dragged her back on shore ; this would be about 12 o'clock ; I then sent Nellie and two of Walker's children to tell my husband and Mr Osborne that Sawyers' two girls were drowned, and to come out quick. John Gillespie, being duly sworn, ■aid— l am the constable stationed At Foxton; I have seen the defleased; I was present at the recovery flf the bodies at the nearest lake on the Harrington run yesterday ; when we got to the lake a small boy, one . of Walker's sons, pointed out the place where the bodies were seen to link; John Howan walked in about $0 yards from the shore and at that *-. distance came to deep water; he dived and brought up Clyde, he handed the body to Frank Thynne who carried it ashore ; he immediately dived again and brought the other body up ; both bodies were recovered within 2 or 8 minutes of the time we arrived at the spot; both had bathing dresses on and whin on shore I dressed them sufficiently to bring them into Foxton ; Clyde was the first body recovered, and Bird appeared further out but the bodies were within a few -feet of each other ; it would be a quarter to one when I went ont, but it would be 2 o'clook before the bodies were recovered ; the boy who brought •the information to me had walked* in, so that the bodies must have been in the water some three hours and therefore past all attempts at resuscitation. The jury brought in a verdict— ..V'Xhafc the deceased were accidentally drowned on the llth January." The jury added a rider that — The jury express, their appreciation , of the efforts made by Clara Bird Sawyers and Mrs Sawyers to save the life Of Clyde Sawyers.