CASUALTIES.
The police received word early this morning that the body of a man was floating near the powder magazine at Waverley. When constables Butler and Skinner got to the spot the body had washed ashore, and they conveyed it to the morgue. The dead man's name was Robert Francis Smith, and his parents reside at Belleknowes. He appears to belong to the Naval Reserve, and to have been doing some work on board H.M.S. Pioneer. He was working yesterday, and apparently left for Broad Bay in a skiff during the afternoon. It is supposed that the boat capsized. An inquest will be at the morgue to-morrow morning. -Evening Star, 20/12/1906.
DEATHS
SMITH. — On the l0th December (by drowning in the Dunedin Harbour), Robert Francis Smith (Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. Pioneer), beloved son of Robert J. and Mary Helen Smith, Preston crescent, Belleknowes; aged 23 years. Deeply regretted. -Otago Daily Times, 21/12/1906.
A HARBOUR MYSTERY.
SAILOR DROWNED WHILST CANOEING.
The city coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) held an inquiry at the Morgue yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the death o[ Robert Francis Smith (23), single man, a seaman, and a member of the Naval Reserve.
Robert Job Smith, bootmaker, living at Belleknowes, Mornington, father of deceased, said that on Wednesday deceased left home between 12 and 1 O'clock, telling his mother he was going out in a boat. Witness knew nothing of his further movements of his own personal knowledge. Deceased was sober. He was being put through a course of drill aboard H.M.S. Pioneer, now lying in the harbour. Witness last saw his son alive, when going to work about 7.30 on Wednesday morning.
Ernest Victor Owler, seaman, H.M.S. Pioneer, said he saw deceased in a six-foot canoe fixing up a sail, as if for a trip in the harbour, between 2.30 and 3 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. There was a boy with him. It was not a ship's canoe. Witness had seen it lying on the beach. Witness did not see him start. Deceased had finished drill and was free till next morning. When drill was over the Naval Reserve men were free to leave the ship.
Walter Alfred Edward Towler, storeman, residing at Vauxhall. that on Thursday morning about 8 he saw a body floating in the harbour, just below the powder hulk. He telephoned to the police, and remained there until the body drifted ashore. Two policemen then took charge of the body, and conveyed it in an express to town. There was a slight blood mark above the nose.
Dr Gordon Macdonald, who made a post modem examination, stated that deceased might have been dead from 15 to 20 hours. The face had apparently been bitten by fish. On either side of the brow, immediately below the hair, there were abrasions on the skin, and the skin was dented and pushed down as if it had been struck by some blunt weapon. There was nothing externally to indicate the cause of death. The body was half-clad — sailor trousers, white shirt, and no stockings. Rigor mortis was present. The arms and legs were semibent in the position a man would be in in self-defence. There was a dent in the forehead which must have been received during life. He found an internal hurt corresponding to the external. The lungs were normal, with no water in them. He concluded that the man had received a blow from some blunt, instrument during life. He then either fell into the water or was thrown in. There was only one other explanation, and that not a feasible one: Deceased might have dived and hit his head violently against the bottom. This was, to say the least, unlikely.
The Coroner remarked that deceased might possibly have been struck on the head by the boom; in dodging he might have received a second blow.
Sub-inspector Black suggested that in the event of the inquiry being adjourned, the boy who was with deceased when seen by Towler, and also the canoe, might be found. The inquest was adjourned until Thursday, January 3, at 2.30. -Otago Daily Times, 22/12/1906.
A HARBOUR MYSTERY.
EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY.
The city coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) and a jury of six were engaged at the Police Court yesterday afternoon in completing the adjourned inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Robert Francis Smith, a seaman on H.M.S. Pioneer, whose body was recovered from the harbour on Thursday, December 20.
It will be remembered that the inquest was opened at the Morgue on December 21, when Dr Gordon Macdonald stated that as the result of a post-mortem examination he had come to the conclusion that the man died from the effect of a blow or blows on the head by some blunt weapon.
Allan Henry Bedford, manager of the Glasgow Restaurant, stated that, whilst standing by the boatsheds on December 19, he saw deceased, who told him that he was about to make the journey by canoe to Broad Bay. It was blowing and raining hard at the time, but deceased stated he would be all right as he had a good oilskin with him. He was dressed in his naval uniform, but was not wearing boots. When a hundred yards out from shore deceased hoisted an ordinary leg-of-mutton sail. The boom would be little thicker than a broomstick. The man was perfectly sober.
Allan Ellesmere Woodman, Cumberland street, gave similar evidence.
Charlee Baird, labourer, Mornington, who also saw deceased hoist his sail when a hundred yards from shore, stated that the wind at the time was S.E.. and he lowered the sail immediately. The hoisting of the sail took place just as the Moerangi was passing, and witness failed to make it out after the Moerangi had passed. It struck him at the time that an accident had happened, but, as deceased might have lowered his sail witness thought no more about it. The sail was a "sprit" sail. There was no boom along the bottom.
James Campbell, master of the Moerangi, stated that on December 19, between the black buoy off the Victoria wharf and Waverley jetty he passed a boat bottom up. It was a white boat with a pink bottom, having about 8ft of a keel. It was blowing a strong S.W. gale, with a flood tide. The sea was very choppy. He steered as close to the bank as he dared, but could see nothing. The boat was at anchor, and was in the same place when he passed up at 7.30 next morning. Witness thought that when the boat had capsized the occupant might easily have been struck more than once. He considered it was possible a man's skull could have been fractured in this manner. On this particular evening it was one of the heaviest seas he had ever seen in the harbour.
The Jury returned a verdict showing that deceased was found in Otago Harbour, death having been caused by injuries to the head, but there was not sufficient evidence to show how the injuries had been received. -Otago Daily Times, 4/1/1907.
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