ANOTHER CASE OF DROWNING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 988, 19 June 1879, Page 2

ANOTHER CASE OF DROWNING.

About half-past 8 o'clock tliis morning the body of a man was discovered floating near the steps of the Breakwater. Messrs. Luxon, M'Kenzie, and Paul, with the assistance of several others, got it on shore, and information having been given to the police, the body was removed to the Northern Hotel, there to await the usual coroner's inquiry. The deceased had apparently been in the water some time, the face being very much disfigured, and rendered almost unrecognisable. So far as we have been able to learn, the body has not been identified, and as no one has been reported to the police as missing, some difficulty is likely to be experienced in arriving at a conclusion as to who the deceased is. In one of the pockets was found a pocket-book containing L 6 10s 4d in notes and silver, besides a cheque for Ll7 3s lid on the Bank of New Zealand drawn in favor of "Archd. Currie," and signed "Alex. M'Lean, Manager," and an order for the payment of L 3, drawn on "Messrs. Robert Campbell and Co., High-street, Dunedin," by Robert Roe Orr." Besides these there were several receipts in the name of " John M'Gregor," and signed by several residents of Cromwell and Clyde, and a letter addressed to "My Dear Friend," and signed " Charles W. Cowan, Hawksburn Station, Clyde." The receipts would lead to the conclusion that the unfortunate man was named John M'Gregor, and of this there cairT,.little doubt, but no further clue seems to be obtainable as to the identity of the body, or where the deceased came from, or whither he was going. He appears to have been a man given to buying horses, and from the mention made of sheep dogs in the letter referred to, it is inferred that he was at one time a shepherd. A flask of whisky was found in one of the pockets, and it is surmised that deceased had prepared himself for a trip somewhere, and that in going down the Breakwater to go on board a steamer, he fell overboard, and was drowned.