INQUEST.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5131, 3 September 1877, Page 3

INQUEST.

A inquest was held at the Morgue on Saturday before Dr. Johnston, coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. Frederick Cooper was foreman, touching the death of John Johnson, who was found drowned at the Queen’s wharf the previous afternoon.

The jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken; — . Isabella Johnson deposed ; I am the wife of John Johnson deceased, the subject of this inquiry. I last saw him alive on Thursday evening about seven o’clock. He was then in his usual health. He hid been at home during the afternoon, and went out shortly after six o’clock. There had been ao quarrelling or unpleasantness. He went out apparently on his ordinary business. As he did not return next morning I went out to look for him. I was told by Mr. Firth (one of the jurors) that he bad been seen in Maori-row that morning. Did not hear anything more of him until about five o’clock on Friday afternoon when, on returning home, I learned from my son that ray husband was found, and that he was “all right.” My son probably told me so in order not to frighten me. He afterwards told me that his father was dead, and that he had been found drowned near the wharf.

William Pirth, a juryman, desired to be sworn, and deposed : I am a settler living in Wellington. I last saw the deceased at halfpast 8 o'clock p.m. on Thursday, at the Bank Hotel. Mrs. Johnson came to tho Bank Hotel about noon on Friday, looking for her husband. I' did not say that I had seen him in Maorirow. I had not been in that locality for six or eight weeks previously. I said I had been told that Johnson was in that locality. John Barrett told me so, and said Mr. Lusty was with him. When I saw deceased at the Bank Hotel on Thursday evening he was not quite sober, but able apparently to take care of himself. Ho was apparently in good spirits, and dauoiug about as he usually did when he got a drop of drink in him. Thomas Kiugswell, another juryman, was sworn at his*own request, and deposed : I am a near neighbor of Mrs. ■ Johnson's. On the evening of the 28th, hearing a disturbance in the street, I went to the door to see what was

the matter, and beard deceased and his wife quarrelling. Mrs. Johnson said a publican in town had got her earrings in pawn for drink supplied to her husband. The next day I heard quarrelling going on between them about the removal of a- cask of flour. Deceased was not sober. Mrs. Johnson complained that deceased was pawning and making away with everything about the place ’for drink, and Johnson replied, “Never mind, old woman, it won't be for long.” Deceased had been drinking very hard for some time past. Cornelius Croft deposed ; I knew the deceased well, and was in his company on Thursday last. I last saw him alive about six o'clock on the evening of that day. We had been working together as bellmen that day, • We went to the barber's to get shaved. He then came to my place and had tea, and left my house quite sober at about six o’clock. I never saw him afterwards. He was to have come back to my- house at nine o’clock that evening, but he never came. I did not leave the house again that night. The next morning I made search for him, but could not find him. The next I heard of him was on Friday afternoon, when I was informed that he had been found drowned near the wharf.

By Sergeant Price : He did not tell me that he had business at the wharf, or on board any steamer, when he left my house. I will swear positively that he was quite sober. He often had business to do on board steamers.

Sergeant Price deposed ; About a quarter before three o'clock on Friday afternoon I had occasion to go to the wharf to see the Wakatipu off, when ray attention was called to an object which looked like a bundle of clothes hanging on to a stringer of the wharf. On examination I saw it was the body of the deceased. Life had evidently been extinct for some hours when the body was found. By a Juror : The deceased’s eyesight was defective.

The Coroner briefly summed up, observing that there was no doubt whatever that the man was drowned, but how or by what means he got into the water there was no evidence to show. It appeared from the evidence that the deceased was quite sober on the evening of the occurrence, and it was probable that after leaving Mr. Croft’s place he went straight to the wharf.

The jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of “ Found drowned.”