DEATHS
HENDERSON. — On the 9th January, at Tomahawk (accidentally drowned), William Fenwick, eldest son of William and Katherine Henderson, Upper Kew, Caversham. Funeral leaves Tomahawk on Monday, 13th inst, at 3 p.m., for Anderson’s Bay Cemetery. -Evening Star, 11/1/1902.
SAD DROWNING CASE.
TWO BOYS DROWNED AT TOMAHAWK.
On Friday, January 10, the police received word of thedeath by drowning of two boys on the Tomahawk beach. From inquiries which were at once set afoot it appears that two boys named Henderson went to the bcach about half-past 7 on Thursday night, and waded out to the island. It is surmised that they stayed there too long and, the tide rising in the meantime, they were drowned in attempting to get back to the mainland. The boys were cousins. One was the son of Mr Thomas Henderson, farmer, Tomahawk, and the other, Fenwick Henderson, aged 15 years, was the oldest son of Mr Henderson, of Henderson and Gray, bootmakers, of Rattray street. The latter was spending a holiday with his cousin. It is conjectured that the boys went to the island in search of gulls' eggs. They may have commenced their return about 8 o'clock, for it is reported that about that time a boy on the shore saw them wading back, midway between the island and the shore. The younger lad (son of Mr Henderson, of Tomahawk), was carrying what was probably birds' eggs in his hands, and was making his way somewhat unsteadily in consequence. The lad on shore saw him disappear into the water. He appeared again at another place, and his arms showed above the water. The shore lad rushed into the sea up to his waist to assist, but found the current too strong, and had to go back. He saw no more of the boy, but he observed the other, Fenwick Henderson, after making a search for his companion, strike out for the nearest rock. This he reached, and clambering on to it he succeeded in making his way back to the island. It is probable that the current running between the island and the mainland — at flood and ebb tide it is said to be a 20-knot current at times — swept the unfortunate boy off his feet, and that, being unable to swim, he was carried out to sea. Fenwick Henderson, on the other hand, was a good swimmer. When the boys did not return home Mr Henderson and his family immediately made search for them, and learned the sad circumstances from the lad who had seen the occurrence from the shore. The family remained on the beach all through the night, with a fire burning to keep up the spirits of the boy on the island, and it is supposed that some time during the night he made a sceond attempt to regain the shore and that in doing so he was drowned. At any rate, his body was found about 10 o'clock on Friday morning on the rocks at the point of the island. It was lying high and dry, but the bruises on it pointed to his having been considerably knocked about among the rocks.
INQUEST ON FENWICK HENDERSON. The official inquiry into the circumstances connected with the death of Fenwick Henderson, who was drowned at Tomahawk on Thursday night, was held on Saturday morning at the house of Mr Henderson, Tomahawk, before Mr C. O. Graham, coroner, and a jury of six, of which Mr Carl Miller was chosen foreman.
Horace Burke deposed that on Thursday he was out on the Sandhills shooting. He saw a disturbance of the birds on Bird Island, and concluding that some person was on the island he went along the coast with the intention of going out himself. Arriving nearer, he saw two young men on the island undressed. He tried to cross over himself, but found the water in the channel too rough and the current too strong, and had to turn haek. He reached the shore with difficulty, and then saw the two young men trying to cross the channel. One of them, however, was evidently caught by the current, and after a cry he threw up his hands and almost immediately disappeared. His companion made for him, swimming strongly, but apparently did not see him, for after swimming about for a little while he turned about, and as the current was sweeping him out to sea made for Bird Island, and landed there. By this time, some young fellows had come down from the mainland, and one of them went for assistance. It was now dark, and the settlers who came said, in view of the rough state of the channel, it would be dangerous to try and cross. They whistled and shouted to the boy, but got no reply. They simply patrolled the beach all night, expecting to be able to do something in the morning, as they were informed there was plenty of shelter on the island. The boy evidently went into the water again, for his body was found next morning at 5.30 lying on a ledge of rocks which would have been covered at high water. They did not discover the body of the other boy.
The evidence of several other persons who had come down to the beach on the night in question was taken, and was to the effect that if was too dangerous for anyone to attempt to cross at the time they got down there. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
They also made a recommendation to the effect that, as within their own knowledge five or six deaths had taken place there, the local board should put up some notice boards warning the public of the dangerous nature of the channel. -Otago Daily Times, 28/1/1902.
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