A man tried to slit his throat before jumping off a Front Street dock and drowning in Hamilton Harbour, a coroner has heard.

But Coroner Edward King was forced to adjourn the inquest into the death of Melvin Stuart Wolffe until Tuesday while Police track down two witnesses who were on Front Street last January 28 when Mr. Wolffe drowned off Pier Six Restaurant.

Earlier, Mr. King heard of the dramatic rescue attempts by Policewoman Marie Alves-Picard, and emergency medical technician Quincy Jones.

Consulting pathologist John Winwick also read in statements by emergency room doctor Keith McKenzie and pathologist Valerie Rao.

P.c. Alves-Picard said she was assigned to patrol Hamilton on foot that day when she received the call at the Police Station shortly after 4 p.m. She ran to the Hamilton Docks between the restaurant and the Flagpole.

After removing personal items and her belt, P.c. Alves-Picard -- who along with Mr. Jones received bravery awards -- dived in after Mr. Wolffe.

"I turned him over and he was lifeless,'' P.c. Alves-Picard said. "He was foaming from his mouth and very heavy.'' "I had summoned a boat in the harbour and when it arrived I had been joined by another officer and the EMT. I assisted in getting him into the boat.

"When I arrived there was a group of street people and they pointed to where he was.'' She said someone said Wolffe had stabbed himself but she could not identify the person.

Mr. Jones said he stayed with Mr. Wolffe's lifeless body from the time it was put in the pleasure craft just a few yards offshore until a doctor took over the resuscitation in the emergency room of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Winwick read Dr. Rao's report and said she had concluded Mr. Wolffe had drowned.

Dr. Rao wrote that six cuts to Mr. Wolffe's neck were self-inflicted because there was an absence of marks related to a second person.

Dr. Winwick added: "I assume that if they were inflicted by a second person, they would have been deeper...'' Mr. King also heard from Police diver Paul Watson, who found a knife on the sea floor the day after the incident.

Investigating officer Angela Cox read in the statement of 14-year-old student Jordan Monkman, who saw where Wolffe entered the water.

Jordan said he had boarded a ferry and saw a man entering the water near Pier Six, but thought nothing of it until he heard a man had drowned.