DROWNING FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1917, Page 8

DROWNING FATALITY.

THE INQt'EiiT. An inquest concerning tiie death of Ihilph Crawshaw, who was drowned at .M.ituroa on Saturday night, was held yesterday afternoon before the district Coroner (Mr. A. Crooke, S..\L). Sergeant Tuohy represented the police. Kiehanj. Wjllianis, wharf laborer, reBiding at Leach .Street, said that on Saturday lie was in company with XV. B. Kivcll, (.'. V. ■Russell, and'deceased. At about 10.13 p.m. witness boarded., a dinghy f„ Jtoturoa and rowed out ■towards a launch some 100 yards distant from (he shore. Witness was rowing the boat, and at the time there was a slight ehoppv sea running. When the boat was within seven or eight yards oi the launch (lie dinghy swump?d and sank immediately. Deceased commenced to swim towards Mr. King's launch, which was about seven or eight yards away. .Deceased called out, but witness could not say what he (deceased) said, ltussell was unable to swim, mid Kividl secured Russell. Kivell was holding on to the dinghy, which was partly submerged, Witness then paddled towards the launch, .pulled Russell into it, and then righted the. dinghy, Witness then nailed deceased, bill gi.l no reply, and went alone in the dinghy in search o! deceased. He found deceased two or three yards behind Mr. King's launch, lying face downwards in the water. There were no signs of lifp about Crawshaw. Witness removed the body to thn r.liore. and, with assistance, used artificial means of respiration until the arrival of Dr. Hinckley. Deceased was fully clothed and wore also an overcoat. Had heard deceased say he could swim well. The dinghy had had four men in it on previous occasions. The boat was quite safe in smooth water. All the men in the boat wore sitting down. When the dinghy was loaded the top of the sideboard would he aliout 4lh. out of the. water. It was the intention of the party to <dr,cp on the launch and go fishing the next day.

To the Coroner; The- dinghy did not capsize, but simply swamped 'and sank under them, He considered the boat quite s#fe, oven though ho felt that water was coming in "about his feet, Those in the boat'did not bail out when they found the dinghy leaking. Witness thought there was quite time to reach the launch before there w.i?, any danger of the boat sinking. Witness'had not seen deceased swim; had only heard him say lie could swim, Deceased did not appear nervous when the dinghy swamped. Did not think the call made by deceased was made on account oj his being in distress, Walter Bayly Kivell, storcman, residing at New Plymouth, was next called and gave evidence which corroborated that of the previous witness. When the dinghy swamped, deceased struck out In the direction of Mr, King's launch. He heard no, call from deceased. His (witness') first thought was for Russell, who could not swim, and with Mr, Williams ho assisted Russell into the launch. Witness helped Williams, who had found deceased, to push tlie body ashore. When witness saw the body, Williams had it with the head well out of the water, He saw no signs of life about deceased, Witness heard deceased call out, but the cry did not seem like the cry of a. man in distress. Witness had given his attention to the man of the party who could not swim. When he saw Crawshaw strike out when the dinghy sank witness considered deceased was all right. Ho thought the boat was quite safe. He had been in it many times, and though it took in a, littlo witter he did not think there was any cause for fear, To the Coroner: Nothing was said when those in 'the boat found water coming Into the dingliy. Witness had been in the dinghy many times, but would not have gone out in it if he had not considered it safe. -He could not Bay whether the water came over the gunwale of 'the boat or through the scams. Dr. Blackley said he saw deceased about 11.15 p.m. on Saturday on the beach at Mottiroa. Those with deceased were carrying out artificial respiration when witness arrived. No sign at life .could hs detwitad. Artificial

moan* of respiration wore maintained unti] ten nihilities to 12. when it was evident tliat death had eventuated. Witness had attended deceased for some years, (lie last visit being about two years ago. In the opinion of witness ileatli was due (o syncope due to sudden immersion jn cold water. Joseph Alfred Fahy. telephone mechanician, of New Plymouth, 'brother-in-law of deceased, said Crnwshaw was horn at Oamant and was M) years of age. He was married, and resided in Penilarvcs Street, Tin; acquaintances of deceased all considered him a good swimmer. Deceased enjoyed fair health, though he hail complained to witness that his heart was not as strong as it ought to he. Deceased had told witness that he had rheumatic fever, which had left his heart weak". Constable Phiikio gave evidence as to finding (lie body on the beach and removing It to the morgue. Tn •jivinrj a verdict that, death was due to syncope, caused liy the sudden immersion of d -ceased in cold water, the Coroner paid it was clear to litffi that the dinghy was not as safe as the occupants thought. The boat evidently sunk through (he weight of the four men being too much, considering the choppy nature of the sea. Williams, who was rowing the boat, adniittel that though she was leaking a little lie considered. he had ninple time to reach the launch. Though the fwamping of the dinghv was an indirect: cause of the death of deceased, the verdict would bo In accordance with the medical, evidence.