UNKNOWN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXV, Issue 183, 17 August 1903, Page 2

UNKNOWN.

FINDING- 11113 BODY. j Constable bimpsou, of Elthara, re- j eeived a tolng:aw ab 3 p.m. on Safcur-j ky inrimiSiipg h •<, tl <.> i.>«iiy of Mr! Kidd had beau found about 2| miles from tho tcs/iO of tho accident. The b-.-dy was muii bruit&d and disfigured. Constable Hickmaa had the body roaioveJ to the Ho l el, where ia inques'J was held at 10 a.m. ou Sunday. HKARTRISNDING SCENE. MR KIDD S COOLNESS. A EATTLB FOR LIFE. A gentleman who saw the sad accident by which Mr T. J. Kidd lost his life, describes thi incident as being of m i xci iug and tbril'ing nature. Ho naid Kidd nev-r for a moment lost hipresence of mind, apparently keeping to'a nerve to the last moment, when he dLappeared under the rush and swirl of the ragirg river. The su-ht of th* river was sufficient to alarm most men, hu s i Kidd, confident in his power to control his horsss, drove 'calmly iD. •Very quickly the horses w,re borne downwards by the terrific current, and in all probability th.fting boulders made it impossible for them to keep a footing. Kidd endeavoured to turn the hoises up-stream, quietly flicking the l p.ders with his whip and encouraging them with his voioe as calmly as though he were driving them under ordinary conditions. He stuck' gallantly to bis c/otk until the water bad taken entire control of tho coach and it svas toppling over. Just at the very last moment, when he saw that it was useless to hang on any longer, and as the co icb was lurching over, the doom-id diivai' th:ew down the rein?, and, clad as he was in haxvy oilskins, sprang into the iiver, up stream. In a second tho raging fliod dashed him down stream ng&inst the coach, and he grasped one af the wheals. Ko bettor idea of the furci of t! e stream can be given than to mention than in less thin two minutes the coach was smashed in'o p : eces. Tha wheel to which Kidd was clinging was almost instantly severed from the coaoh. Deprived of this m-iana of support he drifted in amongst the plunging horses, which were quickly relieved from the ooacb, the harness appearing to break up almost at once. Kidd, who still appeared to keep all his reive, then caught one of the hcrses by th 9 fail, and man and horse w t re chrried down stream with terrific rapidity, people on tho river Hank being usable to run r.s quickly. Kidd nwer gave a cry, but battled bravely for d»ar lif«. Suddenly, when near a bend in the rivsr, the horse disappeared from B'gbt-, carrying the man with him. The horse quickly cime to the sut faca again, but no njsr. was seen of Kidd. The lew horrified spectators gajed long aod earnestly, and searched the river banks, bu : ". no further sign was visible of the gallant young coach-driver, who, in the pursuance of his duty, had calmly driven iota the raging fljod-waters that were so scon to engulf h'm in their embrace. The s'ght was a terrible one for the onlookers, who had to witness tha heart-breakingscene but; were powerless to help.— Argus. Several nnil bags wese recovered. Th- S3 were token to Mies Shorthall, of the Ri verba Post Office, and she opened the bags and dried the mails'. Two horses were found alive about two miles down the stream. A dead horse was also found. The coach is a total wrack. Mr Kidd's mother lives at Palmers'on North, and he also has a brother at; Hope, Nelson. Deceased was single and agud about 3.0, He was a universal favourite, kisjd, genial, and obliging. He was to bj married shortly, and much heartMj sympathy will be felt for his fhncee.