The Late Drowning Accident.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3214, 7 June 1879, Page 2

The Late Drowning Accident.

Coroner's Inquest.

An inquest on the 'body'of. Henry E. Marler, whose death by r drowning we chronicled yesterday, was held at the Waiotahi'Hotel, Burke street,to- day* at 11 a.m., before G. N. Brasse'yi Esq. (coroner)* and the following Jury :—W,. Hovre (foreman), John'Howe, Charles Kead, Hugh Mcllhone, D. Edwards,; J,oseph Crocker, Simon Coombes, John Graham, W. Finlay, Jacob Allaway, Thomas Hill, James Stockdale, and William Murphy. Mr Mcllhone was proposed as foreman, but declined on the ground that Mr W. Bowe had superior claims. Sergt.-Major Mason was present on behalf of the police. ■ - The jury then proceeded' to view the body. On returning, the .following evidence was taken :—

Dr M. H. Payne, sworn, deposed—-I am a duly qualified medical practitioner. I examined the body of' deceased last night. I found no marks' of violence whatever. The fingers were tightly drawn together as if trying to grasp some- ( thing. Tbero was sand in the finger nails. There was blood about the face and right ear, but' the skin was not broken* It,.appeared to be the result of being beaten about on the aand by the force of the water. I believe death took place from drowning. The face was perfectly' composed, and seemed to point out the absence of all pain towards the last. There would" be no difference in the face between a person who threw himself over or in one who was blovfn over- I would not expect to see such a placid look on the face of deceased if he had committed suicide.

George Otto, a youth, sworn,, deposed —I reside in Davy street. I am a labourer. On the 6th Iwasgoing down Curtis' wharf with Arnold, a waterman, to help him to balei out His boat. On returning I went to fish on the silt works, where t saw body )of a man lying on the stones of .the jilt-works. I then went back and infornieii^rnoldj who informed the police. The body; was face downwards, with; the head towards the-sea and the toes in the mud. . I recognise the body lying in this house as the,body I ■awon the silt-works, " _ ' ; T

Constable J. W. Day, sworn, deposed —On the morning of the 6th, Thomas Arnold reported that there wag the body of a man lying on the silt works between the two wharves. In company with' Constable Clery I proceeded to the spot and found deceased lying with his face on the .stones. I had it at once conveyed to where it is now lying. I examined the body with Sergt. Mulville. I found no marks of violence, but there was a' little bJoo'd'on tho face. I found oh the,, body fourteen one pound notes, four half sovereigns, three .shillings and ninepence, a silver watch and leather bag,,a, cheque of James Clarke's for one pound, a pipe,' a penholder, a stud, a packet. of, machine needles and. spindles; two watch keys, a packet of,'tea,.tobacco pouch; two. pocketbooks; containing letters and receipts, and one pencil. I knew the deceased when here as the agent for Mr W-. C." iJennes, sewing machine importer, of Auckland.' I always knew him to be a sober and temperate man. I recognise the body as that of Henry E. Marler. I did not see • the deceased oh the sth, or'npt.for the last three weeks. ' ' , ! ''„'" ' John Pearce, sworn, deposed—l am licensee of the Wharf Hotel. I .have seen the body of the deceased, Henry E. Marler. I knew ( him casually. .I, last saw him alive at the Wharf Hotel on the evening of Thursday last, between 7 and 8 o'clock. ' He was at that time sober.' He said he was going to Auckland by the Enterprise, which was leaving that evening. He left my house with that object. The Enterprise left-about 8 o'clock.' It would take' him about a quarter of an hour to go from the hotel to the end of the wharf on the night in question. It was a very boisterous night, and I consider it would be dangerous to a stranger to go down on such a night. I never saw deceased alive again.

By the Jury—There was no one in his company when he he left the house.

• William McOlair, sworn", deposed—l am a labourer residing in Grahamstowh 1. I remember being on the Goods Wharf on the evening of tbe sth, about 7 o'clock. I had the store"open waiting for the Kowena to come in. It was a 1 very boisterous night, 'but not dark. It required caution in a person walking' down the wharf, and if a man was not cautious he would be blown over. I heard ashout as if some person was in distress. I could not.see Curtis' Wharf.- The cries were like those of a woman! and- continued aboii* a couple of'minute's. I remarked ; to Mr Ferguson that I thought a woman had fallen over the wharf. Mr Ferguson and the man at the toll-gate heard the shrieking. The Jury then returned a verdict of "' Found Drowned."

After the Jury had recorded their verdict-

Mr W. Eowe rose and s&id—That this being the first occasion on winch Mr Brassey had presided over a jury as coroner, the Jury might take some notice of it. They were all much pleased with fho, great care he had taken, aiid the business-like manner he had conducted the inquiry. He therefore had much pleasure in moving—". We desire to place upon record our hearty approval of the action of the Government in appointing Mr Brassey to the position of Coroner, and beg to compliment him on the amiable

and business-like manner in which ho conducted this inquiry." Mr Mcllhone, on seconding the resolution, said he entirely concurred with the remarks of Mr ILowe. - Generally speaking inquests occupied a whole day, and the credit for the short time they had been detained was due to Mr Brassey.

The resolution was then put to the jury by the foreman and carried unanimously. The Coroner said he had scarcely been prepared for a resolution like that. He might say he had done nothing but his duty, and he trusted that his efforts, would always tend to expedite business, and that the Government would not have reason to regret the appointment they had made.