The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 4 November 1886
(New South Wales)

CORONER’S INQUEST.
An inquest was held by Mr. H. Shiell, J.P. , City Coroner, in the South Sydney Morgue yesterday, concerning the death of a man named Anthony Jewell, a native of Cornwall, England, whose body was found in the waters of Darling Harbour on Monday last. The evidence taken showed that the man was about 40 years of age, and that he had recently arrived in Sydney from Woy Woy, near Gosford. At about 9 p.m. on Monday last he was seen walking along Liverpool-street, towards the water at the foot of that thoroughfare, by a contractor named John Simpson, who then formed the opinion that Jewell was not sober. Mr. Simpson having been visited half-an-hour later by Otto Frost, night-watchman at Murphy’s Wharf, Liverpool-street, he informed his visitor that he had seen a man who was the worse for drink go down to the wharf, and that he had not seen the man return. The watchman then went down to the water, and shortly afterwards discovered the body of the deceased floating about. With but little difficulty, it was brought to land, and was subsequently removed by a constable to the morgue. Dr. Milford there examined the body, and found that the only mark of injury upon it was a small contused wound over the left eye. No other marks of violence were apparent. In the opinion of the medical man death was due to asphyxia by drowning. In the examination of the night-watchman of Murphy’s Wharf, it was elicited that at the foot of Liverpool-street there is a fence, but that the rails are between 2 and 3 feet apart. This witness also stated that on either side of the fence there is a space of about two feet to admit anyone to the water’s edge. The jury returned an open verdict of "Found drowned." They added a rider that "the fence at the foot of Liverpool-street is an insufficient one for the purpose for which it is intended, and that one more substantial and secure should be erected."

Contributed by Bob Bolitho