FATAL CASUALTY.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2818, 25 February 1878, Page 2

FATAL CASUALTY.

Drowning of a Thames XTml Godot. A sad casualty happened yesterday on the Thames Biver, namely, the drowning under extraordinary circumstances of A, Beddish, a petty officer of the Thames Naval Cadet Corps. The cutter belong* ing to the company, with a crew of ifteeri, had been taken by Captain Bennett on Saturday evening to Paeroa, at which place they arrived on Sunday morning. Betnrning yesterday afternoon, it would seem that the boat grounded off the Hiku* taia Biver, but was got off by some of the hands, and shortly after Captain Ben* nett told the steerer to relinquish the tiller to young Beddish, as the latter was believed to know I the channel well. He had hardly got settled, when suddenly he jumped" from his seat, as if seized with a violent spasm, and sprang into the water, not being afterwards seen, although immediate efforts were made to rescue him. The event has caused great grief to the youth's parents, and general gloom amongst his comrades, by whom he was well liked. The fuller particulars of this sad affair will be found in the following evidence elicited at

The Inquest, which was held at the New Caledonia Hotel this morning at half-past eleven o'clock, before Dr Kilgour, coroner, and the following jury t Messrs Bobt. Batten, H. Driver, H. Menary, A. Sherlock, E. A. Pope, 0. Stannier, H. Dalton, J. B. Dodd, A. Gubb, G. J. Powell, H. Endres and J. Baffertj. After Mr Dodd had been elected Fore* man, and the jury had been sworn, they proceeded to view the body. On return* mg, the following evidence was taken: George Alfred Beddish, sworn, deposed —I am a fiaherman, residing at Parawai. I recognise the deceased as my son. His name is Alfred Beddiiih. He was 18 years of age, and unmarried. He was a mem* ber of the Naval Cadet "Volunteer Corps, and left on Saturday to go in the company's boat. That was the last time I saw him alive. He was always strong and healthy. I never knew be was sub* ject to fainting fits, but he had one a few years ago. lam not aware that there was any trouble or inconvenience hanging over him.

By the Foreman—He could iwim well, and manage a boat. By a Juror—He never drank anything intoxicating in his life to my knowledge. Arthur JD. Bennett, iworn, deposed—l reaide at the Thames, and am acting Capt. of the Naval Cadet Corps. The deceased was a member of the company. , The company has a boat attached to it. On Saturday last the boat, in which was the deceased and 15 other members of the company, I being in charge, proceeded to Ohinemuri. The boat is very safe. We arrived at Ohinemuri on Sunday morning, and left there on our return trip home in the afternoon. The boat was rowed nearly the whole way down the Thames. We got aground on a sand bank* on this side of Hikutaia. Several of the lads got out on to the bank to push her off, deceased among the number. At this place there was not more than two feet of water. The boat was floated, and all the crew got on board again and sot to their oars. I think a boy named Molnany was steering at this time, but knowing that the deceased could manage the boat and had a knowledge of the river, I directed him to go and steer. He went aft and was sitting on a bundle of coats below the gunwale of the boat. He was quite sober, and I never knew him to take any alcoholic liquor. I did not see him start from his seat, but saw him in the water with his knees cramped up towards his chest. He made no noise or scream whatever. During the trip I did not hear him complain of being unwell, and he was in excellent spirits. I stopped the boat immediately, and was stripping my jacket when two of the lads at the oars named Kichard Pick and Henry Gordon jumped overboard into the same spot where the lad was seen to go down. There was a very strong current at the time. When the two Jads came to the surface they appeared to be struggling for their own lives in consequence of an eddy caused by the meeting of two cur* rents. I had pome difficulty in getting fbe jads intp the'boat We then eon* tinned the search, but so far as f could see the body never ro.se to the surface*. The accident took place at half-past five, and it was broad daylight, 2£ot being able to find the body I came down the river to some bushmen's huts, and gave information of the accident. I also {eft two of the crew to show the men where the deceased bad disappeared. TV body, the subject of this inquest, is that of Alfred Keddish. I understand that the deceased was an expert swimmer. By the Foreman—l consider that Pick I

and Gordon risked their lives. Deceased had been rowing off and on from Faeroa, which we toft at 2.30. I hare heard of no one in the boat who saw the deceased rise. The boat's crew had a bucket of milk divided amongst them. The boys behaved themselves quieily while at Ohinemuri.

Thomat Mclnany, Hworn, deposed—l am a member of the Navnl Cadet corpf, of which the last witness is tfefiog oapV tain. I was in the boat yesterday coming from Paeroa to tbe Thames. When coming down the river I recollect the boat sticking on a bank. It was floated again. After she floated again Gordon was steering. I heard the Captain tell Reddish to go and steer, and saw him go and take the yoke lines from Gordon. I saw Gordon come ' •way from him. There was some talk for'ard about some grapes in the stern sheets, and I looked towards deceased nnd was asking him about them, when lisaw him doable up, and suddenly spring oter board. He made no noise. I did not notice if there was any peculiar look on his face at the time. • He was in first-rate ■pirits. Two of the other lads jumped overboard but could not find him. The body never came to the tuftee, as far as I could see. He baa atatjM beenin good health ts far as I knosr. It was impossible for him to fall out accidentally. " By tbe Jury—We were bathing at; Ohinemuri, bnt deceased did not. We were ten mintttat getting the boat off the bank. Deceaetd had plenty to eat at Ohinemnri. He drew up bis legs after he ■prang. We did not hare much fruit. It was a very warm day. Henry Gordon, sworn, deposed—l be* long to the VifmV Cadet Corps, and was in the boat yesterday coming from JPaeroa to Shortland. We stuck on 4 bank, and after we got her off", I, having been steering, gave the yoke lines to deceased. When -he came up he said " Come on, Gordon, let me there." He sat down where I had been sitting It was a comfortable seat, and it was impossible for him to fall overboard accidentally. I went for'ard, and in aMbut 10 minutes I heard the cry raised in the boat that he was overboard. I did not see him fall overboard.

By the Jury—Every half hour we changed crews. ; ■ • By Mr BulWo—We searched for the body without finding it, and I was left at one of Ba f nail's bosh wham, aid with two men named Palmer awl Clark I went and showed them where the accident took' place. We had a drag in the boat, which we used till near seven o'clock, when the drag brought tie body to the surface. The water was much lower than when the accident took place. We found the body in from seven to eight feet of water, and near the sameplace where deceased went overboard. The body came up easily, and we put it into a canoe and brought it down to Shortland to where it now lies.

Constable J. W. Day, ■worn, deposed— lam stationed at Shortland. From information given to me at about 4o'elcek thii morning I went to the Shortland wharf and there saw Gordon, Palmer and Clark. They had possession of the body of the deceased Alfred Reddish. I subsequently assisted to convey the body to where it now lies. I made an examination of the body, bat found no marks of violence. By the Foreman —Deceased's face was in no way distorted, but a slight froth came from the mouth.. . ■; j This concluded the evidence. The Coroner then summed up to the effect that, though the deceased was healthy, it was in evidence that he had once before taken a fit. It was evident that the poor young man had taken a fit caused by nervous excitement brought on , probably by the heat of the sun. The immediate cause of death was drown> The jury then unanimously recorded the verdict " Accidental death by drowning," to which was added the following rider: — "The jury wish to put on record the brave conduct of the young men Pick and Gordon, in endeavoring to save deceased at the peril of their own lives."