OLD MAN'S DEATH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 307, 22 August 1932, Page 4

OLD MAN'S DEATH

SUCCUMBS IN BATH DEFIES DOCTORS ORDERS AND ENTERS SODA POOL A MISER'S EXISTENCE Possessed of an assured income and an estate estimated to be worth over £10,000 WilKam Robert Cochrane, aged about 82 years, a wellknown old resident of Rotorua, nevertheless, lived the life of a misef in one room of one of the 12 houses which he owned in town. On Saturday afternoon, in defiance of his doctor's warning, he went for a bathe in the Soda Pool in Kuirau Reserye and succumbed to an attack . of heart failure. As Mr. James. Thompson, his wife and sister were walking in the Kuirau Reserve at 3.15 p.m. on Saturday they were horriffeff trcr^see'the nude body of a man floating face downwa'rds In" the Soda Pool. Rushing forward Mr. Thompson aseertained that th'e man 'was dead and immediately hastened to notify the police. On his way out he met Mr. F. Tschopp, landscapa architect, who is in charge of development work in the reserve and informied him of the occurrence. Mr. Tschopp promptly * hurried to the scene, and stripping off his clothes endeavoured to rescue the bo'dy. With the aid of a cane, handed him by another man present, he drew the body to the side of the pool and finally succeeded in getting it on to the bank. Senior Sergeant J. Carroll and Constable A. J. Kelly then arrived and took charge of the body -and had it removed to the morgue. Th'e identity of the deceased was not at first established, but suhsequent investigation proved that the unfortunate old man was William Robert Cochrane, a well-known figure about town. Although in receipt of an assured income, owning a dozen houses and an estate estimated to he worth more : than £10,000, he lived the life of a miser in one room. He was a familiar figure in the streets about which he walked carrying a few ch'erished belongings in a \ couple of sugar bags slung hy a stick : over his shoulder. Warning Unheedsd It appears that deceased had been treated for heart trouble by Dr. E. M. Dorsett, and warned against taking hot baths. The old man, however, had been used to an occasional dip in the Soda Pool and on the Saturday afternoon he appears to have yield'ed to the temptation and entered the hot water. The doctor stated that deceased's heart was in such -a condition that he - was told not to bathe and there was no doubt that the shock caused his death. ' A certificate of death has been given accordingly and an inquest will not i be necessary. A Popular Spot Since th'e failure of the Lobster Bath in the reserve the Soda Pool has been a popular resort for persons j seeking an informal dip without j charge. Although the temperature varies the pool is safe for use by par- i sons in ordinary health. On Saturday afternoon the pool was fairly hot, ac- | cording to Mr. Tschopp who was iu it for about 10 minutes, but though relaxing was not overpowering. But in his weak state of health the old ; man was not able to stand the shock. Just how long the body was in the i pool before discovery is not known, j but it could not have been very long ] as deceased was seen in the reserve > during the afternoon. The body show- i ed no signs of having suffered from : excessive heat. Relatives In Australia Deceased lived is one room of a ; house which he rented to Mr. F. M. j Platt, Tutanekai Street. He was last 1 seen at the house at 11.30 a.m. and fl appeared in his usual health. So far 1 as is known he was a single man, I but it is believed relatives reside in 1 Australia. In one of the old familiar fl sugar bags found beside the pool with fl his clothes the police found the sum fl of £39 in notes. Although he lived a fl miserly existence the old man was fl well respected in the town and was fl known to be a hard worker in his day. fl Nothwithstanding his strange, penu- fl rious existence he was a keen sports- fl man and as a follower of boxing had fl witnessed many famous battles in the fl ring. He also claimed to have seen fl the Melbourne Cup run no fewer than fl 30 times. It is understood that his fl affairs are in the hands of the Public fl Trustee. fl The funeral will take place in the fl Rotorua Cemetery at 2.30 p.m. to-day. fl