INQUEST.

Shannon News, 7 April 1922, Page 4

INQUEST.

An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Samuel Marsden Baker and Peter Baker was hold at

Foxton before Mr A. Fraser, coroner. Jack Gupwell, aged eleven, school boy, gave evidence that on Sunday, March 26th, he accompanied “Skip’’ and Peter Baker to Robinson's Lake.

They left at 11 a.m. They went to the lake, and on arriving there “Skip"

and Peter took oft their coats and boots

\ Witness took off his boots also, and ( they all went eel spearing. Towards j evening they saw an old boat, and dej cidcd to go for a row. The boat was | leaking, but they had a tin to bail 1 with. When they got to about the cenj tre of the lake the water rushed in, and I the ’boat swamped. They all jumped out before it sank. Peter grabbed the boat mid held on to it for a few min-utes,-but “ Skip" and he (witness) went on. Peter then followed ,and the two brothers helped witness for some yards, when,“Skip" said he was done, and let go of witness. Peter then told

witness to “go for his life, ’’ and went back to his brother. Witness struck out for the western shore. While he was swimming he did not see the brothers, but he* heard “ Skip ”'groaning. When he reached the shore he coulcfnot see any sign of them. Witness stayed on the shore and called out for about a quarter of an hour, but got no reply. It was then getting dark, and as he could see no sign of the brothers, witness came back/to Foxton and told the police Avhat had happened. , Constable O ’Donoghuc gave evidence as to the finding of the bodies of the two brothers. At S p.m. on the 26th March, Jack Gupwell reported that a drowning accident had taken place at Robinson’s Lake. Constable Owen and witness went to the lake at about 6 a.m. tlic following morning- to search for the bodies, and found on the western side of the lake the boat which was swamp ed, “Skipper” Baker’s coat and a hat and cap. Dragging operations were commenced, and on Tuesday morning the body of “Skip” Baker was recovered, but it was not until Friday morning that the body of Peter Baker was recovered.

A verdict was returned that Skipper and Peter Baker came to their death bv drowning in Robinson’s Lake, while attempting to swim ashore after the swamping of their boat. —Foxton Herald.