INQUEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3777, 16 November 1907, Page 2

INQUEST.

An inquest on the body of Charles Mitchell, who was drowned at Oroua Bridge on the Bth August, was held before Captain Mowlem, district coroner yesterday. The following jury was empanelled: —Messrs A. Hopwood (foreman), J. A. Heaton, J. Ifittle, W. Turner, H. Collison and B. Broome. ! Alexander Ross, assistant at tms Oroua Bridge store stated that he had seen deceased on the Bth August at the store. He came in shortly after 6 p.m. and stayed about an hour and a half, and was slightly the worse for liquor. He was then turned out by Mr Bryce, owner of the store, and shown the road to his whare, which was some distance away. Shortly after witness heard something moving in the willows on the river bank, and then a splash. He told Mr Bryce, and hurried search was made which resulted in finding deceased’s hat but owing to the fact of its being dark a proper search could not be made, and it was abandoned till the morning. Similar evidence was given by George Bryce, the owner of the store, who stated that they searched for a time, but were unsuccessful as they had no grapling irons, and the river was very deep. They then telegraphed to the police at Foxton, who searched for the body for two days. Robert Simpson stated he found deceased on the 13th November. The body was hanging on a spag. He at once notified the police teid assisted them to remove it. A The jury returned a verdict to The effect that deceased was accidentally drowned on the Bth August while in a state of intoxication, and added a rider to the effect that if the fence which had since been put up had been put up there at the time the accident would not have occurred