A SAD ACCIDENT.
A melancholy accident occurred at Sandy Hook on Tuesday last by which two men employed on the steam dredge, named Peter Murray and William Jamieson, lost their lives. It appears that one of the wire ropes used for mooring the dredge had got partially buried in the shingle of the river, and on the day in question the deceased, along with two other men named Murdoch McDonald and Jacobsen, were endeavouring to clear the rope by under-running it with the dredge’s boat. Murray was steering the boat, and the others had lifted the wire rope over the bow and were hauling the boat out by it. The boat unfortunately took a heavy sheer towards the middle of the river, and being unable to lift the wire rope out of the shingle, filled and went down, the rope holding it on the bottom of the river. Neither Murray or Jacobson could swim, the former sank within a few yards, while Jamieson kept himself afloat with one of the oars for a short time, when he disappeared. Jacobsen succeeded in swimming ashore, and went to the assistance of McDonald, who was encumbered by his clothing and gum boots. and when, dragged ashore by Jacobsen lay on the beach completely exhausted. Few accidents which have occurred in the district have caused such a general feeling of regret both of the deceased being young men in the full enjoyment of life and health when they met with their untimely end. Murray had resided in the district for some time, and was a prominent member of the Good Templars and Foresters’ Lodges. He was unmarried, but was the only support of his aged mother, who was living with him, and who now is completely prostrated at her terrible loss, and for whom the profoundest sympathy is universally expressed. Jamieson was a recent arrival from Dunedin, where he leaves a young wife, and it is believed one child, to mourn his loss. -DT, 6/4/1883.
CORONER'S INQUEST.
An inquest was held at Ormond's Hotel, Roxburgh, on Wednesday last, before Thomas Andrew, Esq., J.P., acting-Coroner, and a jury, on the bodies of Peter Murray and Wm, Jamieson, who were drowned near Alexandra on the 3rd instant. Mr W. Morgan was chosen foreman of the jury.— Constable Pool conducted the inquiry.
The following evidence was adduced:
Allan McNaughton deposed: I am dredgemaster. I was on board the steam dredge on the Clutha River about three miles above Alexandra about 1.30 p.m. on the 3rd April. The boat left a sandbank in the middle of the river to come towards the dredge. Oalus Jacobsen, Peter Murray, Murdoch McDonald, and Wm. Jamieson were in the boat, which took a sheer with the current, got foul of the wire rope, dipped under water and filled. One of the side moorings was under the sand, and the four men were running the mooring, and had got the wire rope on to the bow of the boat. The boat was sent to ascertain if the rope was clear from sand at the sandbank, which has formed in the centre of the river. Jacobson was in charge of the boat, and I heard him call out to slacken the chain, when in about two minutes the boat filled with water and went down. Immediately after it sank, I saw one of the men, who, I think, was Jamieson, floating down the river with an oar. Another man, I supposed to be McDonald, sank under water about 100 feet from the boat. I saw the other two swimming towards the sandbank which is in the centre of the river, I supposed them to be Jacobsen and Murray. Jacobsen reached the bank, ran along it and lifted the other man out of the 'water, which was about two feet deep. This proved to be McDonald in place of Murray. As far as I could see, Jamieson was floating with his head well up above the water; he did not appear to be making any effort to get ashore, and was in the middle of the stream. We had no other boat belonging to the dredge. It is probable that if we had had a second boat at the time, we might have saved Jamieson. I told them several times before they left to be careful and not run the risk of any danger. It was a usual custom to lift the rope in this manner. I was acquainted with the deceased Jamieson and Murray; the former, about six weeks; and the latter, about a month. I cannot recognise the bodies by the features, but the clothes are similar to those worn by the two missing men. The reason for my not being able to recognise either of them is that they are too much decomposed. Jamieson's wife informed me that his age was 27 years last October. I believe he was a native of the north of Ireland; he was married his wife being alive — and had one child, now living in Dunedin. He was in the employ of the firm of Kincaid, McQueen, and Co., of Dunedin, as engine-driver on board the dredge. Jamieson had rather a thin visage and wore a mustache.
Murdock McDonald, of Alexandra, miner, deposed: I remember the 3rd of April last. Other three men and I were out with the boat trying to ascertain if the wire rope was clear from sand. This mooring is partly chain and partly wire rope. Murray was steering the boat. In running along the wire-rope, the current caught the boat, causing her to fill with water. I pulled off my gum boots immediately. After the boat had sunk, I saw Jacobsen in front of me swimming for the shore. I saw another man going down with the current, but could not tell who it was, I was swimming at the time. I have seen the bodies, and recognise them both by their clothes; Murray, in particular, by the bandages round his wrists. I am quite confident that the other body is Jamieson's. He was boarding with me, and I know his clothes well. He had sandy colored whiskers and hair; his chin was shaved, and he had a mustache.
William Thompson, of Alexandra, coalminer, deposed: I have seen the bodies now lying here, and recognise them as those of William, Jamieson and Peter Murray by the clothes; Murray, more particularly, by the bandages on his wrists. Murray had dark brown hair, whiskers, and mustache. I was not sufficiently acquainted with Jamieson to describe his complexion; It is by his clothes I recognise him. Murray was unmarried, thirty-three years of age, and a native of Shetland; his mother lives at Alexandra, and his sister lives at Auckland.
Constable Pool, stationed at Roxburgh, deposed: On Sunday morning, the 15th inst., I took the body of a man from the river at Ettrick. It was dressed in a blue Dungaree suit. The hair, mustache, and small whiskers were of a sandy color, the chin being shaved. On Monday morning, the 16th inst., I took another body of a man from the river at Coal Creek Flat, dressed with blue Dungaree jacket and colored moleskin pants, and having dark hair, whiskers, beard and mustache, and brought both bodies to where they now lie. I found no property on either of them.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased men were accidentally drowned by the capsizing of a boat at Alexandra on the 3rd day of April last. The following rider was added: "The jury wish to express their opinion that a second boat should be at all times connected with all dredges on the Clutha river." -Tuapeka Times, 21/4/1883.
Alexandra Cemetery.
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