INQUEST.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 321, 1 December 1888, Page 2

INQUEST.

, * .T' '-X 7n — *~. r^ ' *'" ?0n Wednesday last an inquest was held in the Conk House, Te commencing at 1 1 a.m.j on the body of the I4ts William Lincoln, who committed suicide on Tuesday last, anil particulars respecting wliich sad occurrenco appeared iiv our last is?ue. In the absence of a Coroner, Mr J. IloM, J.V., conducted the enquiry. The following jury were sworn : Messrs Jas. Lavery (foreman), A. A. Smith, N. Cleary, W. Cook, M, Miller, and J. F. Cocks. The followin < witnesses gave evidence: William Everitt, cabinet maker, who stated that deceased used to visit his workshop every day. He las-t saw deceased about twenty minutes pastfoor on Tuesday, when he came and picked up a sack off the workshop floor am) cut it in half, at the s'-tme time he asked For a mattrass needle and seme twine, which witness brought ; but declining to let him take tiie needle away, he left without making use of it. He saw him take down a piece of small ropo from a post and carry ifc away when he left, only remaining about five tninutes altogether. He asked him what he intended to do with the sack, but he did not say. He appeared to have taken a little drink, but was well able to take care of himself. He said to him, " Billy you've had a pint or two — take my advice and £0 to bed," to which he replied, " All right," and' when he left w^nt off towards his home. Witness recognised the piece of rope and half sack, produced (and which was round deceased neck — the sack having a quantity of clay in it— when the body was recovered), ns the same that he carried away. He knew nothing more concerning him until he was told a little before five that he had jumped off the railway bridge into the Waibou river. He had a long conversation with deceased Tuesday morning, and although he complained of dull time', he appeared to be in very good spirits ; said he had got a 'job'," and that a £1 would poy all he, owed. ? Witness had known deceased as a resident at Te A rob a for the past ten years and previously at the Thames. He had no relations in the Colony, and and was never married. He was fifty years of age. Deceased believed he had a brother living in London, never 'having heard of his death, but he had not heard from linn for over twenty years ; and did not know his address. William Hothrington stated he saw deceased about four o'clock Tuesday afternoon, lie then appeared in vcrv srood «spii its About twenty minutes afterwards ho heard that he had drowned himself, H<? at ouoe ran and jumped into a boat and commenced to search for the body, which he found about fifteen yards below the bridgp, lying 'at the bottom of the river against one of the dolphins in about oight feet of water. Tiie bwdy was at once put. ashoio, and Sergeant Emerson and Constable Will, for about a quarter of an hour, porsiste 1 in trying to restore animation. There was no sign of life whatever when the body was found. When be lasfc saw deceased alive he appeared as though he had taken, a little diink, but was quite capable of taking: care of himself. Katieaud Beatrice Johnson, daughters of Mr H. D. Johnson of Te Aroha West, and sged about eleven and thirteen, years respectively, deposed to seeing deceased climb over the railings of the bridge, on to one of the stringers, and after adjusting the rope and sack lound his neck, let himself down, hang by his hands and then drop into ths river. They were on the opposite side of the river at the time, and at once gave the alarm. Deceased was not on the bridge when they parsed over it a few minutes before. John Aylward stated he was an employee at Mr Coulthard's flaxmill, situated on the bank of the Waihon liver, a short, distance above the railway bridge on the Waitoa side. Whilst working at the mill saw deceased standing on one of the stringers of the bridge, about a hundred yards from, where he was. Saw deceased get down on his knees and then let himself down by his hands and drop iuto the river. Did not see him rise to the surface, Witness did not shout out, but told several of the hands what had happened, and then ran across the bridge and on to the river bank close to where deceased went down; but not seeing anything of him at once ran to the police station and gave the alarm. Saw a mill employee named Campbell get into a punt and proceed to the spot. So far as he knew the other hands at the mill did not know what had happened, with the exception of three named Allen, Campbell, and Thompson. Witness did nob return to his work until after the body bad been recovered. Of his own knowledge Thompson saw what' happened, but did not stop work. Thompson had charge of the press rooiii with five hands. So far as he knew none of the mill hands except Campbell and himself went to the rescue, and the mill did not cease work. Oswald Allen stated he knew deceased. Was working at the flaxmill on the day iii question, ,and fiom the mill saw him hanging down by his hands from one of the stringers of the bridge. His atten-' tion was directed to the spot by seeing the' last witness running off in that direction. Aylward. liad , started .off' tovTards the bridge before deceased dropped into the rive*. ' Saw deceased bang on for about half a minute and then drop. He at once called but to Mr Cole, the manager, who was in charge of the engine about ten -yards away jrom witness, but owing to ' the noise "of the machinery could not make him hear ?' aod he then went on with bis work feeding the machine, as -if he ceased feeding

it the belf'tnight have come oif anil it or the machfne got broken. Went on with his work during the time the search was proceeding, as, he knew several' people had gone to the rescue ; and did not see what good he ccml ddo by going also, A few minuses;, after. the occurrence took place soroe^one'-eame to, the mill and got a long pole "with a hook on the end, to use in seak-ching^.for the/body. Another assistant at tfie mill named Jack who worked close by to witness told him •afterwards r.bathe saw Lincoln drop into the river. When he saw deceased on the bridge he had a sack round his neck, and witness at first thought he was about to oil the swing hinge. John G. Campbell stated he was employed at theflaxmill. Knew deceased. About a quarter to five saw him sitting onthe bridge ; he sat there about three minutes, after which saw him let himself down and hang by his hands. Knowing he could not recover hims If and get up again, at once ran to get a punt and go to his assistance, and -whilst doing so saw him drop into the river. Before he dropped he appeared to try and draw himself up again. Called out to the hand r s at the mill, but could not say if they heard him . Saw deceased rise to the surface and strike out with his hands, but he then again went down, and never rose. Ifc was but a'fciw yards distant from the bank from'vraere deceased rose. He thought it is possible the hands in the mill might not have known what had happened. The mill did not stop work. When he got to the spot*vhere deceased rose could not see anything of him, and not having proper appliances to work the punt, had to make for .the, shore. . Beached the spot where deceaseti 1 ' sank in about two minutes, v Doubted if deceasedcould have been rescued even had other of ' the mill hands gone, with him to his rescue, not having prop/Sr appliances.- i ■ [Ihe inquest was adjourned frqm half-past one to half- past two, in older that Mr Cole, who was in charge of the mill at the time, miglit have an opportunity of explaining why the mill was not stopped, and the hands sent to try and rescue deceased.] Alfred Cole stated he was an enginedriver at the flaxmill. Shortly before five o'clock, Tuesday afternoon, one of the mill hands, named Thompson, told him a man named Lincoln was trying to drown, himself in the civer at the bridge, which was about two hundred yards from the flaxmill. At the time Thompson told bun, this he sa«v the witness Campbell in a punt, about half-way down to the bridge, and supposed he bad sjoue to the rescue. He believed what Thompson said to him was " Old Billy Lincoln is trying to droun himself at the bridge." Did not know at the time whether he had drowned himself or not. Went and looked out of the mill, .m I, n\>t soning anything of decease 1, relunied to the engine and went on with his woik. S<iw Campbell and Aylw.ird hid left woik, an-1 gone off to wheie theoccui — rerce took place. Was hi charge of the j mill at the tirn<\ To his own knowle 'ge six other hands and himself went ou working as usual. He said nothing to these hands, or they to him, about going to try and rescue deceased. If any lelation of his own hud Ullen into the river he would have stopped work, and sent all hands to the rescue. Saw the body brought ashore shortly afterwards. Did not suspend operations at the mill,, as he saw no occasion to do so, other | people having gone to the rescue. Thompson, who had told him what had happened, had gone to Auckland that (Wednesday) moruing. Mr Coulthard, the owner of the mill, was absent at the time. [This witness was severely questioned by the jury, as to how he could have have allowed work to continue as usual at the mill, knowing what had occurred so near by.] [ William Hefchrington was recalled, andl said that when he first went in a bout to> the rescue he rowed to the place he supposed he had sunk, and not seeingany sign of him then rowed up to the flaxmill for a long pole with a hook on the end, which he knew was kept there,, < and to make enquiry. Some of the mill hands gave him the pole and indicated the spot deceased had jumped ia<. After learning the exact spot to search he made straight for it and at once recovered the body. Did not consider the fluxmill more than a hundred yards distant. Sergeant Emerson deposed to tberecovery of the body, and the means used to try and restoie animation, etc. Nothing of any value was found on the body, and there were no marks of violence. The rope produced was round deceased neck when the b^dy was recovered. Thought it very strange to see the mill hands woiking much as usual as though nothing had happened. The jury, after about half an hour's . con sideration,. brought in a verdict to theeffect that deceased came to his death by drowning-, having thrown himself intothe Waihou river, etc., and added the following Rider : The said jurors desire to express their indignation at the inhuman indifference displayed by the* persons at work at the adjacent flaxmill, in neither ceasing to work, or going to render assistance to rescue deceased, save and except the two witnesses, Campbell and Aylward, whose prompt action they commend. The foreman stated on behalf of the jury the remarks contained in the Bider specially '.referred to the foreman in charge of the mill at the time. Deceased was buried in the Te Aroha Cemeteiy-the same 'evening.

There WilJ be a sitting of Jthe Besident Magistrate's Court at Paeroa 00 Monday nest, commencing at 9 a.tur 1