MONTHLY SUMMARY

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1898, Page 3

MONTHLY SUMMARY

SUDDEN DEATH

Continued from Page 8,

WELLINGTON, October 30.

Mr C. H. Hulke, headmaster of the Newtown School, was found dead to> day. He lived by himself, and as he did not appear at the school, a visit was made to his house, where he was foim '. in his bed, having apparently been dead some time. He was one of the best known teachers in Wellington.

I Mr Hulke's death is supposed to i have been due to heart disease, but | his friends were not aware that he j had any weakness of the Lpurt, and it ; was his boast that he never had a ! clay's illness all his life. He was seen in about his usual health yesterday afternoon, but two visitors who called jat the house last night could get no ! response to their knockir.fr. The api pearance of tho body poirts to his j having had a seizure of some kind. Mr C. *H. Hulke gave some prij vate papers into the keeping of a friend of his, and on these being opened this afternoon, they were ; found to comprise Mr Hulke's will ani a memorandum giving" a number of singular directions. After referring to his financial position, which shows a credit balance, deceased says: 'I want one of the plainest funerals possible, and mind, no one is to follow me. Of course, there will be an inquest, and Mr Ashcroft, coroner, need only'call Mrs and Miss —— to know my sentiments, which I have freely expressed to them since January last. I hope Mr will now be satisfied.' He concludes by directing how his personal effects are to be disposed of. The document was dated June 18, 1898. The Chairman of ths School Committee received a letter this morning written by deceased, in which the latter thanked the committee for the kindly consideration they have always shown to him, and asking that disposition of certain books should be made to teachers connected with the school.

These letters were taken to indicate that deceased had premeditated taking his life, but the suicide theory was not borne out by the post-mortem examition.

At the inquest Mr Davidson, one of deceased's intimate friends, said Mr Hulke had frequently made use in witness' hearing of the expression, 'When I go, I'll go very quickly. I won't trouble anyone with a long" illness. A few weeks ago deceased remarked that he felt he was breaking xip, and that his heart was far gone. The mistress of Newtown school, deposed that deceased had often said he would never go through a long illness. For years he had "said this, not particularly of late. He said he would do away with himself rather than have people bothering about him in an illness.' Only last week he said that 'the first day he did not come to school they would know he was dead.' He was eccentric, and always worried a great deal about small matters. Another of the teachers gave evidence that last Wednesday deceased said he wanted to see the examination over, and that he had a presentiment that he was going to die.' He had frequently hinted that he would hasten his own end, and said he had something' at home whichrwould help him away Dr. Tripe, who made the postmortem, said all - the appearances pointed to death from natural causes. He did not think an analysis of the stomach would clear the matter up. The lungs and heart were diseased. There was no sign of irritant poison. He would say death was due to failure of the heart. A person in Mr Hulke's condition might go off at any time. The jtirv wished an analysis of the stomach^ and the inquest was adjourned for this purpose.

WELLINGTON, November 7.

Mr Skey. Government Analyst, said there was no evidence of poison in the intestines. The jury found tha deceased died from failure of the heart's action, and disease of the heart and lungs.