CORONER'S INQUEST.

Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1333, 29 October 1884, Page 2

CORONER'S INQUEST.

The District Coroner, Mr G. M. Snelson, held an inquest on the body of the late H. IL Fitzsimmons. The inquest was held at Mr Fitzsim* mons' late residence before a jury of twelve of whom J. Bow was fore* man, The following evidence was taken : —

Ellen Fitzsimmons deposed : I last saw my husband, Henry Howard Fitzsimmons, on Saturday morning, 18th October.- He left the house with the intention, of going across the river to Messrs Bandolph and Walker'?, along with. Charles McKenzie, a-s employe. They left home about 7 o'clock m the morning. My husband, rode a grey horse, and was leading a chestnut mare, and Charles McKenzie followed on foot. I was anxious about McKenzie returning as he assisted me m milking the cows, The cows were coming home to be milked, and I went to meet tbenT ard help drive them m, when I saw I the two horses my husband topk away with him m the morning graz* ing upon the river bank close to the hou«e ; this was at about 10 o'clock. On seeing the horses at home I be* j lieved my husband had been to M r Walker's, and that Mr. Walker did i not. want the mare ; the mare is the chestnut one alludi d to, and was being taken over the river to be worked by Mr Walker. I thought, on seeing the horses close at home, I that my husband bad got: off the horse to show Charles McKenzie some work he was wanting to be j done. It was a very stormy day, and about 11 o'clock I became very anxious on account of them not returning. This day I had dinner prepared at 12 noon ; Mr Mikklejohti, afl employee on the larm, waited about ! 20 minutes for. dinner, to allow of Fitzaimmona and McKenzie's return, j After Mikklefohn had had his dinner! I told him to go through, the bush) to see if they were coming home to dinner. He went, and m about an hour he returned, and said he could see no sign of them m the bush. About three o'clock m the afternoon I sent my boy Henry over to Mr Walker's to inquire if Mr Fitzsim* mons hid been there. Mr Walker came over with the boy and said that my husband had not been there that day. I told Mr Walker I fclfc very anxious, and with that we all went to search for him along the river bank, the river bed, and the shingle flat. We continued this search until nef»r dark, and some time after we had tea, and Mir Walker went home by way of the railway bridge. 1 Louis Poison deposed : Last Saturday week I saw the two horses be* longing to Mr Fitzsimmons standing on the Fitzherbert side of the river. The reins of the horses were en» tangled round theit legs; I cleared them, wound the reins round their neoks, andjlet them walk away. I saw them going up the bank towards the house. By the Constable : Tbis was about 8 a.m. Took no particular notice if the horses were wet or not, op the harness, which consisted of collar arid harness and blinkers; . William Akert deposed 1 ; On Suns day morning, the 19th October, MiWalker came to my. house. at about 8 o'clock, and informed me that Mr MrJFitzsiminons was missing, and it was probable he was either m the river or that some timber bad blown uponlhim inthe bush. Nearly every, day since I have been on the lookout for Mr Fifczsimmons, arod last eyenipg; *Jbp»t £,80, Jwent W the

river ma canoe with Mr Mekklejohn, aud after we had been searching for about an hour with a long pole and a hook on the end, I found something at the bottom of the river, m about ten feet of water. We got the hand aud put a rope round it and went for assistance. With the assistance we got we recovered the body, and brought it to where it now is. By the Constable— l knew MiFit zsimmons, and I identify the body we recovered as that of the late Mr Fitzsimmons. v John Mekklejohn deposed : Since Mr .Fitzsiruznons lias been lost I have been every day employed looking for him and yesterday betweeu fouand five m the we found him m the river m a snag .-jusfcoppo* site the house. By the Constable: "When we found the body we tied it with some string to the snag and got two more men to help us. We «ot the body into the boat and brought it over and put it m the shed. I identify the bodj ai that of the late Mr Fitzsimmom. Dr Macintire deposed: I Have viewed the body of Mr Fitzsimmons, and find two wounds upon it — one on the head and one m front of the stomach. Both wounds show signs of having been made after death, and the body shows signs of having come to its death by drowning. The Coroner summed up; the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict " That Henry Howard Fitz * Simmons was 'accidentally drownec on Saturday: morning, Oct. 18, white attempting to cross the Manawatu. ftver."