INQUEST

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1019, 5 November 1872, Page 2

INQUEST

.An enquiry touching the causo of the death of James Edmondson, whose body was picked, up on the South spit on Saturday morning, was held at the Post Otlice hotel yesterday, before Dr. Giles, CoroneF, and the following jurors : —lvatt Graves, foreman, Jas. Holgatp, Jas. May, Win. Hoskihs, W. Mailer, V. Sontgen, Jno. Walker, Jas. Colvin, R. M'Earlano, T. Sheehan, and jt 'p Towndrow

Dr. Thorpe gave evidence as to having made medical examination of the body, which bore no external marks of violence about the head, throat, or chest, but was so decomposed a3 to bo only identified by the condition of the teeth in the upper jaw. Joseph Carmiai said he believed the body was that of James Edmondson who-had been drowned by the capsizing of a canoe at the Lyell, some ten or eleven weeks since, with Komario Zala. Witness described the accident and the recovery of Z'ala's body. He identified the body now discovered as that of Edmondson, by a peculiarity in the front teeth. The clothing on the body ho also recognised as that wore by Edmondson, and the boot laces in the boots he believed were those ho had sold deceased shortly before the accident.

John Carter, a lad living on the South spit, gave evidence as to finding tho body about 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, lying on tho sea-beach near high-water markConstable "W. Meredith related tli3 circumstances of the finding of the body nearly buried in tho sand, and its subsequent removal to an outhouse near the camp buildings, Sergeant Kiely gave evidence as to the capsizing of the beat -whereby Zala and Edmondson were drowned. The jury returned a verdict that the body was that of Jame3 Edmondson, accidentally drowned on or about the 18th August last, whilo crossing tho Buller river near thcLyell junction.