Not all “ Beer and Skittles.’
SEKGT. STAGPOOLE IN CANTERBURY. Sergeant Stagpoole was not long absent from this district before he again brought himself into prominence, though the duties involved in the case under notice were the very reverse of pleasant. In the Christchurch Star of a late date there is an excellent descriptive article, bearing generally on the unpleasant duties which fall to the lot of the members of the police force, and in P«ticular detailing the facts connected with the discovery* of a body at Port Hills. A portion of the description will be 01 especial interest to Gisborne readers, and it is therefore appended:—At the first grip of Governors Bay road, just below the Convalescent Home, the driver pulled up and declined to take his mare up the incline. The party disembarked, and Sergeant Stagpoole, who by the way, is a fine athlete, shouldered the stretcher and manfully trudged ahead, the other three following as best they could. Over the vilest road imaginable, rutted with rain streams, and greasy with half liquid clay, every step onward being attended with the danger of a flop down in the mud, the party The pluckv Stagpoole at last halted at a gate high up the hill, and waited-for all the while he had held a long lead, burdened as he was—until his comrades came. Then he took a lamp and, handing over the stretcher to Constable Cleary, he piloted the way in the grim light, through rough rocky country, half wav down the valley to the right of the road, and halted beside what the party were 13 And" a°ghastly sight it was. The light of twi lanterns turned upon the scene showed thMbody of a man perfectly naked from the waK to the knees, his white trunk and limbs, BtdWand stiff, gleaming up in the grey light, Lis head fallen backwards and his abundant red beard perked upwards. No hat, and both feet bare. It was a sorry sight indeed, but the party made but little pause to indulge in sentiment. Seizing the lanterns, the two Sergeants, followed by the otners, at once began to investigate the ground. The reporter pointed out that the tussocks above where the body was lying were pressed down as if gome one had rolled over them, and the whole party climbed up to where a huge rock bolder overlooked a large flax bush. The North Island experience of Sergeant Stagpoole led him at once to the flax bush, and here it was found that what in good weather would have been a most comfortable lair had been made of tussock grass, and evidently considerable pains had been taken in its preparation. It had been almost decided to abandon any search for boots or hat, but the light of the lantern turned inside the lair, disclosed the boots, socks, and hat of deceased. These secured, the body was covered as decently as could be under the circumstances with the man’s own handkerchief, and the body having be«n lifted on to the stretcher, a start was made up the hill. Sergeant Stagpoole and Constable Cleary took the first turn with the burden, but although only a few hundred yards measured the distance to the main road, they had to be relieved before they reached it. Then the heavy burden was taken in spells down the slippery road, Sergeant Stagpoole having ex temporised from the flax bush shoulder belts tor the carriers to ease the weight from their arms. Several times the treacherous clay let down first the leading man and then the one in the rear, but after about three-quarters of an hour of tedious walking the gate of the Convalescent Home was reached. Here Sergeant Briggs went in to ascertain if any patient had been missed, and the body was set down in the middle of the road to await his return and his spell at the carrying. While so waiting four young men from Sydenham came along, and were pressed into service. They kindly finished the journey to the waggon waiting half a mile below. All then got aboard, and the body was taken to Mr T. Yarr’s Sandridge Hotel. Subsequent enquiry proved that the body was that of a shepherd named McDonald.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GSCCG18880904.2.21
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Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 191, 4 September 1888, Page 3
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709Not all “ Beer and Skittles.’ Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 191, 4 September 1888, Page 3
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