LATER FROM THE NORTHERN PROVINCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 290, 25 November 1862, Page 6

LATER FROM THE NORTHERN PROVINCES

PROVINCES

CANTERBURY.

(From the Lyttelton Times, Nov. 19.)

A MELANCHOLY RECORD,

THREE INQUESTS OK THE DUOAVSED.

It is our painful duty to publish a report of three inquests, held before the same coroner and jury, at the Lyttelton Hotel, Christchurch, on Monday last. The firsfc Avas on the body of a lady named Eilen Ellman, which Avas taken out; of the river Avon, ne.^r the residence of Mr Traver's, on Saturday evening. Mrs Eilman was ia her SOth year ; she wa3 the Avife of a surveyor, Avith whom, and her mother, shearrived in this province a month airo, by the Queen of the Mersey, airs Ellman suffered severely from sea sickness; on landing, she was in a delicate state of health, and h;id been subsequently visited by Dr Turnbull; but she exhibited no symptoms of'aberration of mind until Friday Aveek. On thafc day, she left the house Avhere she was residing, and went to see her mother, Mrs Saxby, staying at present Avith the famiiy of Mr Stuce, of Berwick farm. Mrs Saxby, avlio gaA'e evidence at the inquest, said that her daughter complained of being unwell, and Dr Turnbull was called in to see her. She appeared more cheerful next day; and in the afternoon Avent up-sfcairstoliedown. She was shortly afterwards missed aud all the members of Mr Slace's family, some of them on horseback, scoured the district round, as did also her husband, to find her. The latter, Avhilst enquiring of a youth named Thomas Pepperell if he had met Avith her, had his attention directed to a female figure running along the Stanmore accommodation road and recognised his wife. He followed in swift pursuit, but she turned an angle and was lost to.visAV. It would seem that-as soon as she reached the river bank she leaped in, for shortly afterwards Mr Henry Travers, on proceeding home, saAV her in the river, calle tto his father and got her out. Dr Turnbull wason the spot almost at the same moment, and tried unavailing!}- to restore animation, but it was hopelesv, the lady was dead. Her husband came up just as they were about to remove the body. The jury returned a verdict thafc the lady drowned herself whilst laboring under a fit of temporary insanity.

SECOND INQUEST,

The next case was that of the droAvninc; of a little boy, named Thomas Wm Preston, aged nine years, Avho fell into the river Avon, Avhilst playing near the Pap.inui Ilridge, on the sth November. A long and persistent search had been made for the body, but Avithcufc success, until the morning cf Monday week, Avhen ifc wa3 discovered under a raft, by the newbridge in ttie Hue of Madras-street, by a youth named Alfred Cooper, employed at the time in clearing away water-cresses from tiie piers of the bridge. Ifc aaus proA-ed that the boy AA'as accidentally droAvned, and a verdict Avas returned accordingly. The father of this child has been long ill, and is now lying at the hospital in a helpless state of consumotion,°and his Avife has two small children left—one at the breast.

THIRD INQUEST. The third inquiry was into the circumstances attending the death of Air Joseph Garland, aged 47, who was drowned in the Rakaia, ahout seven o'clock on Saturday evening.

lb appears tint Air Garland had been up to the gorge of the Ashburton, and mustered some cattle to bring down home. He was accompanied in his journeyingsthe y/hole of last week by Mr Iwiac Mawson, and on Friday evening stayed at Mr Dowling's station, Avhere they met some parties who Avere returning after a vain attempt to ford the Rakaia, which had been swollen by a fresh for several days. These persons tried to advise Mr Garland not to attempt crossing the river for some time, but he, anxious to be at home, determined to proceed, and next evening reached the southern fork ofthe stream, which he crowed in safety, as also tiie second fork. Up to this point he Avas accompanied by Mawson. who feared to cross the main stream, and sought to persuade Garland to return ; but he appeared somewhat chagrined at this, said he had crossed cattle tliere before, and was determined to go on. Mawson rode in up to the saddle-flap, and then backed out At this time Mr Garland Avas trying to head his cattle, 16 or 17 in number, which seemed averse to cross qver/and continued going down the stream. At one point the cattle turned back, and Mr Garland strove to turn his horse to follow them, but his beast rolled over, and Mr Garland disappeared. Mawson rode down tlie bank, cooeing and* looking for him. About balf-a-mile below where he had sunk, MaAvson saw the body lying at the bottom of. the river, aud jumping in, pulled it out, but life Avas then quite extinct, lie Avas almost immediately joined b} Mr Charles flowers, of the Accommodation House, who rendered every aid to restore animation, but-without effect. The latter crossed and re-crossed the river, and nearly lost his own life by doing so ; he rode all night, and brought -ne\vs. of'the accident to Christchurch by five o'clock on Sunday morning, and thence went forward to break the sad news to the deceased's family. The verdict in this case Ava3, of course, that the deceased had been accidentally driAvned.