The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-10 00:00:00

THE FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT AT HAMMER-

SMITH.

On Monday afternoon Mr. William Carter,
coroper for East Surrey, opened an inquest at the Boileau
Arms, Bridgewater-road, Hammersmith, on the body of
Mr. Edmund Balfour, late vice-president of the L00(1011
Rowing Club, whose body was found in the river on Satur-
day morning last. Mr. Morgan (Humphreys and Morgan,
of Newgateetreet) attended to watch the case for the widow
and family of the deceased, sod a number of gentlemen were
also present, chiefly members of the London Rowing Club.
The jury, having beep sworn, proceeded to view the body,
sod on their return called
Henry Kean said, he was • waterman, and hearing on
Thursday morning that Mr. Balfour's boat bad been found
near the Crab Tree, and that that gentleman was mining,
he searched for the body, and found it on /Saturday
morning, nearly opposite the oil mills at Chiswick. The de-
ceased had on a shirt, socks and shoes, but no trousers. The
only marks upon the body were scratches on the forehead
and nose. The shirt was • dark striped woollen shirt.
John Wager deposed that on Thursday morning be
was engaged in loading • barge at Stages Dock, near
Craven Cottage, about • quarter past seven, when he
observed • gentleman rowing down in an outrigged
wager boat. He had on • dark shirt and dark trouser..
Witness looked across the river about five minutes after-
wards, and saw • boat floating down with the tide, about 3D
or 40 rods from where he bad seen the gentleman rowing.
The boat was upright and the right hand skull in its
proper place. The other skull was floating some few yards
off. While witness was looking he observed a man's head
and shoulders rise to the surface of the water and then
immediately sink, but rose again, and the penal threw
up his arms sod cried out, " Oh !" He then sunk, and
witness saw him no mom. Witness bailed a young man,
who shortly afterwards rowed down, and picked tip
the boat and took it to Putney. The person in
the boat was sitting quite still when witness saw him, his
alma resting on the sculls, which were out of the water; he
was looking into the bottom of the boat, apparently in deep
thought. It was • quiet morning. and the boat seemed
perfectly steel?)
Frederick Wilahon, boatman to the London Bowing
Club at Putney, proved having assisted Mr. Balfour into
his boat on Thursday morning, he having on at the time •
pair of brown flannel trousers, as well as the garments
found on his body. The boat was a large outrigger belong-
ing to the club. It was brought back about half-put seven
by • yoneg man who gave the name of Harris, of Brantford.
The boat was perfectly dry, and did not appear to have been
turned over.
The coroner said theta was important that the man who
fint had the boat in his poundal after it was empty, ac-
cording to the evidence of the first witness, should be in
attendance, and he thought it advisable to adjourn the
inquiry for that purpose.
The jury met again last evening, when
The inquest was resumed, and the lad Barrie, who
took the host to Putney, proved that it was quite dry
when he found it. He fancied he saw something splashing
in the water just before be got to the boat, but could not
distiognish what it was.
Mr. J. Ireland, one of the treasurers of the London
Rowing Club, stated that he saw the deceased gentleman,
Mr. Balfour, on the morning of the accident, when they
walked down to the boathouse together. Mr. Balfour was
not an aspen smiler by any means, end he (Mr. Ireland)
thought be had probably overbalsoced hie boat in trying to
re-adjust his trousers, haring unbuttoned them most pro-
bably at darting to row. Deceased was riot a good swimmer
either. He (the deceased) as vice-pegaieent of the London
Rowing Club, took • great interest in the crews that were
practising for the Henley Regatta, and bad gone out on the
morning he was drowned to see them training.
The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned the
I following readied :—•• That the deceased. Edmund Belfour
came to his death by drowning in the River Thames."
The inquiry then terminated.

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