John Donald Souness, (1913-21/12/1935). "hands tied in front"

TAIERI DROWNING

DECEMBER FATALITY RECALLED 

INQUEST PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED 

An open verdict that death was due to drowning in the Taieri River on December 21, 1935, was given by the coroner (Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M.) at the adjourned inquest this morning on the body of John Donald Souness, .aged 25 years, of Clydevale, who was found lying with his hands tied together on the edge of the river. Detective-sergeant Hall conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police, and Mr F. G. Rolfe appeared for the relatives of the deceased. 

Dr W. Evans said that he examined the body of Souness at the morgue. It was in an advanced stage of decomposition. There were no external signs or injury or marks of violence on the body, and he was of the opinion that the cause of death was drowning. He considered it was quite possible that the deceased tied his hands m front of him before he entered the water, as this would prevent him from striking out when in the water. 

Dr Marion K. Steven gave evidence regarding a post mortem examination of the body. 

Robert Francis Keith, hotel licensee at Henley, said that on December 5 or 6, 1935, a young man named Don. Softness was booked into his hotel by his wife. Witness was informed that Souness came from Dunedin on a motor lorry. He had no personal belongings with him, and remained about the hotel for several days. During that time he had no friends. He was quiet and morose, and appeared to be brooding over something. He was a man who had little to say, and did not speak about himself. He had a few drinks, but was never under the influence of liquor. Two young men named Pope and Mercer were staying at the hotel, and Souness appeared to become friendly with them. On December 10 Souness went to Berwick with the two young men in the picture circuit van, and they returned about 11.30 p.m. The last witness saw of Souness was when he was standing with Mercer and Pope in the passage, when they had a drink at the slide. Witness did not see Souness go out at the front door, and thought he had gone to bed. The next morning witness was informed that Souness had not slept in his bed. Witness thought he had probably obtained a lift from someone, and had gone home, as he had spoken of doing so on several occasions. He paid up to lunch on December 9, and at the time of his disappearance he owed witness 10s. He paid for his board and drinks as he went along. He did not give witness any idea that he contemplated suicide. 

William Ronald Augustus Mercer, a picture exhibitor, said that about the beginning of December, 1935, he and his partner, a man named Pope, were travelling round a moving picture circuit, and were staying a few nights at Henley. While there he met a young man called Don, but whose name he had since been informed was Souness. Don Souness joined the witness and his partner when they were having a few drinks, but he was not communicative about himself. He said he had been working at Clydevale, but did not mention anything about any woman while in witness’s company. On December 10 witness and his partner were showing a picture at Berwick, and the former asked Souness early in the evening whether he would like to come to Berwick for a ride. He agreed to go with them. On arrival at Berwick the deceased helped witness to erect the screen and curtain in the hall. He then stood about until about 9 p.m., when he came in and sat down in the hall. After the show about 11 o’clock Souness helped with the taking down and packing of the gear in the van, and the three of them drove back to Henley. Inside the hotel the three of them and the licensee, Frank Keith, had a drink at the passage slide. They then went into the sitting room, and witness thought Souness had an untouched drink on the mantelpiece when he walked out of the hotel without indicating where he was going. Witness and his partner retired without thinking anything more of the deceased until in the morning the licensee’s wife said that Don had not slept in his bed the night before. Witness could not offer any explanation of where the deceased had gone, and he never saw the deceased with any quantity of money. About two weeks later witness called at the hotel, and was informed that the body of the deceased had been found in the Taieri River. At no time while the deceased was in witness’s company did he give any indication that he contemplated suicide. 

Thomas James Outram, a fisherman, residing at Taieri Mouth, said that about 12,15 p.m. on December 21, 1935, while taking his wife and family for a picnic up the Taieri River, he noticed the body of a man lying at the edge of the river on the western side opposite a spot known as Governor’s Chimney. The body was lying face downward, was fully clothed, and the hands were tied in front by a pocket handkerchief. He considered it was possible for anyone to tie his hands as those of the deceased were tied. He notified Mr McKenzie, a local J.P., and the police were also informed. He assisted Constable Watt to bring the body to the jetty at Taieri Mouth. The body was very much decomposed, and had been lying in the position in which it was found for several days, and had probably been washed up about the time of the previous spring tide on December 11. 1935. 

Constable Watt gave evidence regarding the removal of the body, and stated that it would be possible for the deceased to have tied his own hands in the manner in which they were found. 

Detective-sergeant Hall said he commenced inquiries concerning the death of the deceased on December 23, 1935, in company with Detective Russell. His inquiries showed that the deceased exchanged a motor car for a motor cycle at Dunedin on December 4. On that day Traffic-inspector Cameron stopped the motor cycle in King street and found it to be unroadworthy. The deceased said his driver’s license was at Clydevale, but it was afterwards ascertained that he did not have a license there. He stayed at various Dunedin hotels from November 18 until December 5, and when he left his belongings remained at the last hotel at which he stayed. He stayed at the hotel at Henley, and when he walked out of the hotel after having returned from Berwick with Mercer and Pope he was never seen alive again. There was a balance of £215 13s 3d in the Post Office Savings Bank account to his credit at the time of his death. He was regarded as a fair swimmer, and on one occasion while he was staying at Henley he went swimming in the Taieri River with two women from the hotel. The deceased could easily tie his own hands in front of him before he went into the water. 

In giving an open verdict that death was due to drowning, the coroner remarked that the police were to be (words missing from here)  -Evening Star, 12/3/1935.

Balclutha Cemetery.