DROWNING ACCIDENT AT CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2232, 28 October 1886, Page 2

DROWNING ACCIDENT AT CAMBRIDGE.

On Monday evening last a child named McMahon was drowned in a placs called Clare's swamp at Cambridge. The child was missing about two houis, and was, at the expiration of that time, found drowned by the father. On Tuesday morning Constable Brennan empannelled a jury, and held the inquest as below before Mr Searancke, coroner, and the following jury:— Messrs 0. B. Onions, John Goodfellow, W. Maofarlane, W. Moisley, W. Dodds, and A. G. Fretwell. Mr John Goodfellow w.us chosen foreman. The jury went to view the body, and on their return Constable Brennan prodnced the following evidence. Heniy Moon deposed : He was a medic il practitioner. He saw the child about sixo'clock on Monday evening. When he was passing the house of the father he saw a crowd, and was told a child had been drowned. He went inside the hon»e, and saw the child apparently lifeless, and smne around were trying to restoie animation. The witness said he was a medical man, and tried to bring it to life. Ho kept up artificial respiration for one hour without any signs of returning life. In fact he did not see any signs of life after he arrived. The cause of death in his opinion was asphyxia. There was no signs of violence on the body. James Macfarlane deposed he was the grandfather of the deceased child. The child went with him about 3 o'clock on Monday up to Clare-street to look after the cows and mend a gap in the fence ; he was with him a short time, when witness sent him home. An hour afterwards the mother of the child came for it and said she bad not seen the child. Witness went to look, and yaw down town, but without avail. He did not see tbo child again until the lather fetched it homo. Witness, on seeing Dr Moun, asked him to come, Patrick McMabwi deposed he was the father of the deceased child. The child was three years old. While lie was down town at o o'clock his eldest child Eliza Ccitno to him atid said the little boy was lost. Witness went home, and wont to the swamp to look. He found the child in the swamp, a hunched yards frwm Maefarlnno's house. Jt was in a pool of water about two feet deep, and was lying faoe down, ujrnost under water. He took it up and tried to get the water out of its-Wly. It appeared j to be dead. Dr Moon, tried all he could, '• but without avail. ■> ' The Coroner addressed the jury, and placed the facts of the ca&e before them. After conferring together the jury brought ma veidict of "Accidentally drowned,*' and added thereto a rider to the effect that the owners ought to take steps to have the place drained or protected to prevent further accidonts.