DEATH BY DROWNING.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1566, 18 July 1882, Page 2

DEATH BY DROWNING.

An inquest was held at the Royal Mail Hotel, Rangiriri, on Friday last, before Dr Beale, coroner, and a jury of twelve, of whom Mr Chas. Bell was foreman, on the body of an old man, name unknown, who was drowned by falling off the railway bridge over the Onatea creek, Rangiriri, on the JOth mat. The evidence of Charles Edward Capper, a »pumper employed at the R<\ngiriri railway station, went to show that about 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the day named he saw deceased, who appeared to be about 60 or 70 years of age, coming along the line from the direction of Huntly. He tried to cross the bridge, which is an open one, on the plank laid for the use of railway employe's, but seemed to grow timid, and fell through the stringers into the creek. Witness at once went to render assistance, but before he could do so the man had peared. He then communicated with the police. — Constable Graham, stationed at Mercer, deposed to searching for the body on Tuesday and Thursday, and finding it on the latter day. Deceased had a sixuenny-piece, some coppers and a small looking-glass in his pockets, but no papers by which he could be identified. — Richaial Simpson, landlord of the Royal Mail Hotel, deposed that on the 10th two men came iuto his bar and had a drink. One of them said he was going to look for work at Mr Muirs farm. He thought deceased was one of the two, but was not at all sure about it. No evidence of identification was forthcoming, and the jury returned a verdict that the deceased I was accidentally drowned, adding a rider to the effect that although the railway bridge was not intended for traffic, it was not safe for railway employe's, who had to use it iv the execution of their duties. The deceased, who was about five feet six inches high, is supposed to have been a pensioner.