Inquiring into a Chief Officer's Death: Further Evidence No further light was thrown on the mysterious disappearance on the 9th instant of Alexander Gillespio McKinnon, chief officer of the Cc. N. S. Chusay, when the inquest was resumed by Mr. G. W. King, sitting as Coroner, at H. M. Police Court on Wednesday. The body was not picked up until last week.
Chief Det.-Insp. Reeves and Inspector T. Mellows appeared on behalf of the Municipal Police and the River Police, respectively.
Medical evidence to the effect that there were no external injuries on the body was given by Dr. N. Hay Bolton. The post-mortem examination, said witness, showed that the body had been in the water for some considerable time. The organs were fairly normal.
Mr. A. C. Dobbie, who was acquainted with the deceased, said he met him shortly before the tragedy. They were getting off a tramear together at the corner of North Szechuen and Haining Roads. Witness had not seen deceased for a2 number of years, and promised to meet him on the following day. My. McKinnon could not swim. He was a very steady fellow. Witness believed that ho had friends in Shanghai.
In answer to a question by the Coroner, witness said he had not seen deceased for about two years.
Insp. Mellows said that on the 12th instant he received a telephone message from Chief Det.-insp. Reeves with reference to deceased's. disappearance. On the 19th at about noon the sergeant on duty on the police hulk had the body picked up as it was floating past. Witness examined the body, which was in a dark gray overcoat and a dinner jacket. There were no marks of violence.
Deceased might have been in the water for about a fortnight, said witness in answer to a question, He added that sampan-men, wharf employees and watchmen were not able to give any information as to when and where deceased might have met his death.. Sampan-men, even when there was not the slightest blame attaching to them, were always loth to throw any light on such unfortunate occurrences. They always believed that they could be held responsible for a death if it had taken place in or from their boat. There must have been a quartermaster on duty on the gangway of the Chusan. Perhaps deceased fell overboard without being seen. The wharf where the vessel was lying was not a regular mooring place for sampan-men.
Mr. T. W. Pickard, assistant marine superintendent at Pootung
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