THE LATE MR DONNELLY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10131, 7 January 1911, Page 3

THE LATE MR DONNELLY.

THE INQUEST. An inquest into tko circumstances attending the death of the late?- MiThomas Donnelly was held in the Masterton Courthouse yesterday mottling before Mr J. T. M. Homsby, District Coroner. Arthur James Purvis Hathaway, commission agent, was the first witness railed. He stated that he had known deceased for about thirtyeight years. He had seen the remains, and had no hesitation in identifying them as those of the late Tom Donnelly. Identification was easily possible on account of the peculiar shape . of tlie left boot, which was caused by a malformation of deceased's ankle. The coat was also that worn by deceased when he was last seen, while a magnifying glass and a pipe found in one of his pockets further contributed to the evidences of his identity. Witness had endeavoured to dissuade deceased from making his last trip on account of the lateness of the season, but the latter insisted upon going, and apparently intended to stay for a week, as he took provisions and arranged with the lad who drove him up to meet him again on April 12th, 1910. ; The lad kept his appointment, but Donnelly was not there, and the police were communicated with, a search party being sent out on the morning of'the 13th. No trace of the missing.man was obtained, and other search-' parties were out, with similar' results. Deceased would be sixty-seven or sixty-eight years of age, and, as fains, was known, had no relatives in New Zealand. John Oscar Pinhey, of PinheyV stables, deposed to 'having driven deceased out on his last trip up th-) Mangatai-ere Valley. He was to meet . l liimagaiil on April 12th, 1910, but as deceased did not turn up, witness and Robert thomsen went up to the camp, .about a mile and a half away, ; biit could''find no 1 trace of the missing man. James Pryor, drapery manager at the W.F.C.A., stated that he and some others were camping at the foot of Mount Holdsworth. The left camp on Wednesday morning last with the '.. intention \ , of the upper; "reaches• of At one '"place they''fpimd the water too deep to ford and they decided to climb a cliff about fifty feet'high. In scrambling up, this they, came; across tne reVmains.ofca feet; : the tosElymg ph a ledge formed %*■ a fallen tree.. It was in a state of decomposition; but they were able to see that it was the body of a man.- They then we,nt tpvfche top of the cliff and found a cap and boot and:a.rude bed under some low grdwing trees, with a distinct mark on it where a head and body had lain. They left everything as it was and returned and sent word to .the police. Next morning, in com-, pany with Constable Anderson, they went back to the spot and gathcwl the remains into a bag. Constable Anderson had a very difficult job, and witness was of decided opinion that the police should be provided with gloves for the purpose' of handling cases of this" kind. The remains were lowered to the riverbed by means of a rope, and .then swung on a pole and carried down the river for * about /; a mile and a half, till they got to the bush tirade.

Constable BroAvn gave evidence as to, having searched for Donnelly at i,tjie* K time/wheu he Avasvreported missr Ing?', , An, inspection.'-'of ■'deceased', s ; camp at the time revealed the fact; from the quantity of provisions used, 'that \\p, -tea-only been in cawp ahoiit-' 'Wo days,,„ r^ "7""''" : ' ,, -^ r '" i ' J .■; >-'">'/ :.■• statecLthat, ae-, ■'Wjn^ani^';V''^a^?. s y?^ o ■'settle? named Mr AndersonTwlic yoi■uttteered to accompany them, Aveni ! to the place where the body Avas discovered. . They placed the ramains, Avhich Avere in. an advanced stage of decomposition, in a »RCk, ?M Avent io '.the top of the cliff where the cap and. boot Avere found. The rude bed alluded to Jooked as, though it had .been occupied for three or four days., Witness Avas of „, opinion that had rolled over 1 the ledge j aiid liadvdied in agony while making ' a last, attempt to get back. I The Coroner stated that he was' of .the opinion that Constable the maniier*of deceased's death .Avas correct,, arid '. that. he 'tntd been'making a last desparate attempt to get back. . - Mr Pryor stated that there Ave re tAA'o projections- on the-log where, the remains Avere found, one of which' Avoiild strike deceased on the back of the 1 neck and the other in ! the small of the back. The Coroner: stated that it was, probable that the deceased had not Sivffered very greatly as he was of thetype of man to Avhom adverse Aveather made little difference. A verdict .of-' death from misadventure avouM be returnod. • ■■■''■