AN OLD MAN DROWNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1916, Page 7

AN OLD MAN DROWNED.

VERDICT OF SUICIDE. The death of an inmate of the Old People's Home, Henry Barnwell, aged 72, who -was drowned 'at the Breakwater en Tuesday afternoon, formed the subject of an inquest held before Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M., yesterday morning. S&rgeant Bowden represented the police. Kyidence was given by Samuel Adams, a warder at the Old" People's Home, Westown, who said deceased had been an inmate of the Home since 1011. He was ,a native or .Adelaide. Witness knew anout his relatives or friends. l-'oVaw deceased at the Home at 6.30 a.m. or, Tuesday but did not speak to him. Witness was -surprised when he did not appear at breakfast at S o'clock, and instituted a search for him. Deceased could not be found, ,and at about 0 o'clrck the police were communicated with Witness identified the body at the morgue as that of deceased, i Hamilton Jah Wiley, a plumber, said he visited the Breakwater on Tuesday afternoon for the purpose of fishing. Ha saw no one on the Breakwater except himself. When he got to the outer cud, he saw in the water the body of a fully-dressed man. The head was face downwards. Witness called out and the man turned his face towards him. Witi'c::S threw his line, and shouted to the man to take hold. The latter paid no attention, and appeared to swim out beyond the reach of the line. Witness was unable to swim. He at once ran to the wharf and gave the alarm, and two men put off in a boat to rescue deceased. Richard Simpson, a Harbor Board employee, testified to hurrying to deceased's assistance as soon as the alarm was given He found the deceased with his Load submerged. The body was taken into the boat, and witness, who had had experience in first-aid, worked hard for sp-.v.e'time to restore life, but without success. Witness was absolutely sure tlisie was no life in the body when it was taken from the water. Corroborative evidence was given by William li'onry Weight. Constable J Wroblenski deposed to ta!: ; ng possession of the body and convening it to the morgue. A yerdiet that deceased committed suicide by drowning was returned