FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 99, 9 October 1863, Page 5

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE

: : " ■•■■INQUEST? Oif 'TkE EDDIES. • An Inquest was held at the <Court House, Campbelltown, Bluff Harbor, Bth October* ISG3, by; 3., Ik Watt; Esq.y Acting .Coroner and a Jury;, of 18 inhabitants.— J. P. H. Gallop, foreman.; ..-,.• J. R.-Fordham, licensed waterman, deposed — On the Jsth J n day..of. October, inst., I waa in the "Eagle Hotel when Mr J. E. Tanton called to me that a boat was capsized, this was about 5 p.m. J. T. Edrdham, assisted by W. Hagman, George, (surname unknown^ and two others, immediately launched a boat and put off to the scene of the disaster, and found a boat, bottonv ttp^ we looked round in the neighborhood of the capsized boat, and about 700 yards-from the same, we saw something like -a -coat. We pulled up immediately and found it was the body of Mr W. D. Hall. . We todk him into the boat, no signs of life appeared in him, and we pushed for the shore and carried the body into the Eagle Hotel and put off again to see if there were any more, (not knowing how many the ship's boat had picked up) but found none. We then made for t'.ie upset boat 'and brought it to shore. Boat, bottom upwards when found, with the jack-sheets and hallicords all gon<\ I knew Captain Hall formerly, second pilot to this port and Captain of the lluby s.s. By a Juror: The people in the boats from tho Helenslee and Jiuby might have seen the body as "well as we did if they* had looked round five minutes ; after leaving the ghore we reached the capsized boat. I was arriving from the Airedale, and I saw the boat leave the shore, Captain Hivll steering. By the Coroner: It was squally, but no heavy rip on ; it was through keeping the boat broad-side on to -the tip, I consider, 'was the cause oPthe accident. ; DoctorG. Gargary, M.R.CiS. : I saw the body of the deceased W. D. Hall brought ashore. I used every means to restore life, there were no signs of life in his when brought ashore ; I'lv.ul the body enveloped in hot blankets, hot bricks to the feet, fri.tion to the body and extremeties ; he was 4-aid on his side and rolled ; this was continued for about a,n hour without any effect. By a Juror: It is my opinion that the deceased came by his death through drowning. By the Coroner : I did not se& any mark of injury On his bjdy, Charles Lewis, seaman : I was in Ike beat when it capsized ; we started from the b?ach ; reefed the luff-sail before we started, that was by Captain Hall's orders ; it was blowing fresh at the time ; we got off right enough till we got to 'the rip-; we were going to the Ruby s.s. at the time; when about the middle of the rip, and about 150 yards from the ship we capsized ; it was broken water, merely the top of the sea filled the boat, if she had more sail on, it would have been better for the boat; the sheet was held by Thomas "SVcllspring 1 , and I h *ul hold of the haliards ; there were no turns in either rope at the time of the accident ; we were cautioned by Mr Hall not to have a turn in the sheet or halliards ; we were all thrown out of the boat when it capsize I, and we used out best endeavors to to get on the boat's bo torn ; we, all the four of us, got on the boat's bottom and hove off twice. Wellspring gave Hall can oar and assisted him. on 'the boat's bottom a second time after being washed off ; we were washed off the ho.it a second time together, and that was the last time I saw Hall and Aspiuall together, about 18 feet to the leeward of the boat ; w.is rescued by a boat fr jw. the llu! y s s. By the Coroner : Did tell them there were other nun in the water, did not .search for them. I said there were other two but did not press them to go id" search- of them.. By the Foreman : It was between 3 and 4 I put off. I brought the deceased ashore and went to the Eagle Hotel with Aspinall my mate. I had a few words with Aspinall on coming from the Jiuby ; we had a drink together at the Eagle Hotel, we had no words going back when the accident took place. I was not drinking with Captain Hall. I was not at the Argyle Hotel with Captain Hall or Aspinall. By a Juror : I cannot say why he did not pass the cord, I consider it was through weakness ; Captain Hall did speak, I heard Mm say, Oh my God, several 'tiroes when in the water, he (Hail) and Aspinall were struggling botli together. By the Coroner: The sheet was not foul, my opinion is that the boat capsized through the broken water. Thomas Wellspi'fng, boatman : On Monday, 3rd October, I went in the boat belonging to the deceased with Hall, and was proceeding to the' steamer Ruby, with Aspinall and C. Lewis ; I heard the evidence of the former witness (C. Lewis)-; I believe the whole of his evidence to br-; correct, especially regardiag the sheets and halliards. By the Coronor : We told them, others were in the water, and when they passed to pick us tip off the boat, if they had been afloat they must have passed them ; I lost sight of Mr Aspinall for some time previous to my being picked up ; the boatswain got on board the Ruby's boat and ordered the life boat of the Helenslee to purl about for a time, to look for the bodies of Hall and Aspinall. By a Juror-: I was sober at the time-; Capt. Hall was sober at the time. By the Foreman : I have not been boating before ; I was to have a fourth share in the boats; Iliad hold of the halliards ; I was not boating with Lewis previous, nor had I been boating before joining Aspinall j I had only one drink after coming ashore; I obeyed all orders from Captain Hall during the passage, to the tinfe of the accident,* Aspinal was sitting in, the fore part of the boat, Captain Hall steering.