THE HAUTAPU DROWNING CASE

Taihape Daily Times, 31 January 1919, Page 4

THE HAUTAPU DROWNING CASE

o INQUEST ON J. J. BAGLEY.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon befoer Mr. J. P. Aldridge, coroner into the circumstances surrounding the death of J. J. Bagley. who was found dead in the Hautapu River on Thursday morning. The first witness called was Duncan Anderson, foreman butcher at the Graihape Freezing Works, Wiuiata, who deposed that at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday a man came to the works to get 50 paunches for Mr. Coutts, and signed his name in the receipt book as J. J. Bagley. He appeared in good spirits and quite all right. Witness never saw the man before.

W. J. Coutts. brewer, in business in Taihape, said be knew the deceased J. J. Bagley, who bad been in bis employment for about six months. On Tuesday, 28th inst, witness drove deceased out in his motor-car to his farm about two miles from Taihape, and left him there between 9 and 10 a.m. Deceased was in his usual spirits and did not appear worried, and got to work straight away. He was a man of bright temperament. Did not see him alive after Tuesday. Identified body taken out of the Hautapu Stream as J. J. Bagley. In consequence of being told that the cows at the farm had not been milked, went out there to look for Bagley on Wednesday, and no trace of him was to be found*. With a number of others he instituted a search, which was kept up during the night. About 7 a.m. on Thursday the body was found

lying on the side of the river at the foot of the cliff. Deceased had his usual working clothes on, and his hat was found about 30 yards from the top of the cliff and about 130 yards from .where the body was discovered. There were no signs of a struggle on the cliff, though the grass was trampled down. Thought some of the cattle grazing in the paddock might have rushed him. The cliff was fenced with three wires; one post was knocked down and one wire was broken. Had formed ho opinion how the accident could have happened. Accused did not appear to have anything on his mind, and knew of nothing that would cause him to take his life.

Dr. R. J. Boyd deposed that he made a post-mortem examination of the body in the morgue. The external examination disclosed a swelling on the righi side of the face; there were no other external signs of injury. There w ? as some, blood on the face, which prcfc ably came from 'the right ear. The lower part of the abdomen and left (side of the face and neck were covered i with mud. The stomach contained neither food, mud, nor water. 'All organs in chest appeared normal. The lungs were not distended. The left ventricle of the heart was empty, the right vonj tricle was filled with blood. There w r as no sign of fluid in the lungs. The trachea was filled with a dark wmtcry fluid. Under the scalp was a large bruise above the right eyebrow. Under the periosteum there was a crack in the right side of the head, about two inches behind the eye, and one and a-half inches" above the car. The aura mater had a very dark appearance and the whole surface appeared stained with blood, and the whole brain was clotted Avith blood. The crack on the outside did not extend to the inner table of the skull. Found"'the spine uninjured. Death was not due to drowning; deceased died before he reached the water. The cause of death was j hemorrhage of the brain caused by the I injury to the right side of the head.

To the police: Death probably took place about 48 hours before examination. The injury to the head might or might not cause death instantaneously. In a body falling over a cliff of such a height would have expected to find injuries of a more serious nature. Marianne Bagley depbsed she was wife of deceased. Last saw him alive on Tuesday morning, 28th, ihst., at between 7.30 a.nr. and 8 o’clock, when he left to "go to work. He was of a cheerful disposition, and had no worrv. Ht had- been working for some months for Mr. Coutts, and was in the habit of coming home every evening. He did not come home on Tuesday, and she thought he might have stopped on the farm; he had done so on a previous occasion. First know he was missing when Mr Ormond caniß to the house on Wednesday. Deceased never had any fits of depression since he came back from the front. Knew of no one likely to cause him an injury. Had four children. Deceased was fond of his children and happy in his home.

To the Coroner: Deceased was wounded in the foot, but was not gassed; he was in receipt of a pension. The Court then adjourned to view the scene of the accident, accompanied by Dr. Boyd and other witnesses. On resuming, Dr. Boyd was recalled, an'd said after making an examination of the scene of the accident he was of opinion deceased was frightened or threatened bf aTmll, and in trying to escape slipped on a stone, on which the marks of nails of boots were showing. At this spot dec£Jfsed evidently got a jerk, and his hat fell off, as fF was here the hat was found. He went on about twenty yards and jumped the fence close to the side of the precipice, and the wire gavtc way, as was shown by the recently broken wire. In o end of the broken wire was down

the precipice, deceased evidently carrying it with ban. and he was precipitated down the cliff, which was about 300 feet high, fracturing his skull in the descent. This would account for the injuries as disclosed la the post-mortem examination. To the police: Considering the place where deceased fell this would account for the bruises. Death was due to the blow to the head causing hemorrhage of the brain. After examining the place of the accident ire could understand now why there were no other external injuries to the body in the fall beyond what was disclosed.

Constable Sheehan deposed that about 11.15 o’clock on Wednesday night in consequence of information received he went with a search party along the banks of the Hautapu River to search for deceased, who was reported missing. He was' taken to a cliff, where a hat of deceased’s had been found earlier in the evening. At this spot hd noticed the grass had' been trampled down and there" were marks where cattle had been. The grass had been trampled to the edge of the cliff, and' the fence was all broken down. At 2.15 a.m. lie discontinued the search until 5 o'clock the following morhlhg, when back to the cliff with ropes. He and J. Ormond went some distance down the cliff with the aid of a rope and in the creek at the bottom of the cliff he noticed an object which he thought might be deceased. As it was impossible to get any further down without additional rope, witness and Ormond went down the creek about a mile and on arrival at the foot of the cliff they found the body of deceased lying in the river face " upwards, nos© and mouth above water, and arms crossed over his chest". BlcTod was showing from the right nostril and right ear. Deceased’s clothes we’re not torn nor presented any signs of violence. Carefully examined the hank as far as possible, but could not find any marks of the passage of the hody to the river, the rains of the' previous day had probably obliterated all traces. Sent to Taihape for assistance, which was sent. The inquest was then adjourned till 10 a.m. to-day. The inquest was resumed this morning. Robert Donald Ormond said he was in the employ of W. J. Coutts. Knew deceased for eleven years. Last saw deceased alive on Tuesday morning between 8 and 9 o’clock, and he was in his usual spirits. On Wednesday morning deceased had not called at the brewery as usual, and he went to the farm, but could not see decease’ Searched the farm, but failed to fin* him. Tuesday’s milk was still in the can. On Wednesday/ evening went to farm and did not see deceased, and told Mr Coutts Bagley was not at tire farm. Wont to deceased’s house and was told he had not been home since Tuesday morning. Mrs. Bagley was surprised when told deceased was nor at the farm.. On being informed of Bagley’s disappearance. Mr Coutts. with others, went to farm to search for him, but unsuccessfully. Search kept up till about 11 p.m., "when his hat was found, and then informed the police.

To the police: On Wednesday evening there were some steers in the paddock in which the hat was found: do not know if they were wild. There was a bull in same paddock, and men cutting cocksfoot on the railway line informed witness that the bull charged them, and they had to get out. It was the same bull as was in the paddock on Thursday'.

John Ormond had known deceased for 11 years, and had always been a mate of his. Seen him practically daily since he has been working on the farm, and never saw him the worse for drink. Noticed no difference in, deceased since hiS.return from the front. Last saw deceased on Tuesday morning. Joined with others in a search for deceased on Wednesday evening and continued till 2.15 the following morning and left it until daylight, On resuming at daybreak noticed something white lying in the river. Witness corroborated the evidence of Constable Sheahon as to finding the body. He noticed the body lying in the river and drew Sheahon’s attention to it. Procured ropes and more men and went back to where the body was, and saw it hoisted to top of cliff. To the police: Heard a bull roaring loudly in the vicinity of the track deceased would take in coming home, and saw evidence of cattle.

Augustine Bagley, brother of deceased, identified the body brought from Hautapu Stream as that of his brother. Deceased’s age was 28. Corroborated the evidence of the two previous witnesses as to finding the body.

Constable Egian, constable at present in charge at Taihape, stated it was reported to him that a young man named Bagley was missing. That a search had been made and his TTat had been found in a paddock. Constable Sheahon went with a search party and returned about 2.20 a.m. on Thursday without having discovered any trace of mising man. The constable renewed the search, and witness received word at 7 a.m. that the body bad been discovered, and was taken to the morgue. Examined the body, and found no signs of external injuries except on the head, caused either by a fall or blow. Made a careful examination cf

the place where deceased had gon» over the cliff and up to the place where his hat was found. Was of opinion that he had gone about 20 yards when he met a beast. Heel marks further down the hill gave the impression that deceased was running away from a beast, and caught hold of the top wire in the fence on the edge of the cliff, which broke and the de ceased was’precipitated down the cliff. Saw no sigijs on the cliff of a struggle having take®’ place. Was of opinion deceased met his death by trying to eva’uc- a in the manner previously stated. TTTe" fall over the cliff, in his opinion, would account for the injuries received by deceased.

> This was all the evidence. The Corbner said the deceased was a young man of evidently temperate habits, and was on his way home when by some means or other’ he fell over the cliff. The opinion had been expressed by some of the witnesses that deceased had been chased by a bull, and probably they were right, but he could not take that as evidence, as it as a matter of mere conjecture or presumption. He had not the slightest doubt in his mind that the death was accidental. His" verdict would be: — That the deceased John Joseph Bagley met his dSHth by accident on the 29th inst. by falling over a cliff into the Hautapu River, but there Is not sufficient evidence to show the cause of The accident.