CLERGYMAN'S SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2, 2 January 1903, Page 8

CLERGYMAN'S SUICIDE.

A PATHETIC FAREWELL LETTER

"LIFE IS BECOMING SIMPLY

APPALLING."

The Sydney Coroner on Saturday last opened an inquest in connection with the death of the Rev. Stanley Blackwell, who was killed by a train at Macdonaldtown on Christmas afternoon.

John Young-, driver of the train, said that he was taking forty-three empty trucks from Clyde to Darling Harbour. "When near the Sydney end cf Macdonaldtown Station, be saw Mr Blackwell on the line in front of the engine. He called to his mate, "Is that man clear?" and receiving the reply "No," he blew the whistle, and applied the brakes at once. He was travelling on a down grade, without steam, at 20 or 25 miles an hour. Mr Blackwell was standing on the line, facing the engine, and he made no attempt to move. The train was pulled up in a distance of about 100 3 ards.

(Stephen Newman, fireman of the train, said that when the engine was passing the "up-fast" platform, he saw Mr Blackwell about thirty yards ahead, crossing the "down-fast" rails towards the line, which they were running on. He stood right in the centre of the line, and faced the engine, and was knocked down. The train .wa« gtsopped, and "witness -went

back. Mr Blackwell was found under the thirty-first or.thirty-second truck quite dead.

To the jury: He had plenty of time to get away from the danger if he had tried, but he made- no attemptto do so.

The #uard, Percy Tinkler, and Constable Garnock gave evidence. ..:. The latter said that on searching the body an the morgue, he found! a silver watch and a chain, a number of letters, and about 9/ in money, and a pocketbook. On an envelope, which contained some letters, were the words: "I cannot face the frightful outlook; life is becoming—through my own fault entirely—simply appelling. lam latterly undone. I wish my property (mostly books), to be disposed of ac directed in my letter to Mr Bougaid Laing, of Summer Hill. The letter to which I refer is in the hands of Police-Constable Black, of Hornsby. Let E—— have the cycle to sell and keep the money for herself. — Stanley Blackwell, Christmas Day; 1902."

Harry le Ttisoier Blackwell, clothier, living at 37, Pitt-street, North Sydney, said that deceased was his cousin, and has resided -with him up to last Thursday week. Some days before his death he had been at Xurse Brook's Hospital, at Summer Hill. He had been a theological student of seven years' standing- at Manchester College, and another college, in England, and was training for the Congregational Church. He had once had a church; that was at the Orkney Islands. He came out to Australia a year ago for thfc benefit of his health. He seemed mentally troubled, and suffered from loss of memory, and loss of will power. Dr. Blackwood was treating him medically. Witness heard that he Trad made an attempt upon his life on December 19

The inquest had not concluded when the mail left Sydney.