SUICIDE IN PONSONBY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 199, 20 August 1904, Page 4

SUICIDE IN PONSONBY.

A GERMAN HANGS HIMSELF. Christian Kilguf, a new arrival from Germany, committed suicide on Thursday, the ISth, by hanging himself to a rafter in his residence in Ponsonby. The deceased was last seen alive by Mr j A. J. Wilson, of Church-street, Ponsonby, who afterwards discovered Kil- ' guf hanging from the roof, and reported the matter to the police. Constable Dunn, who examined the body, said it was quite cold when he was called, and had probably been hanging for 24 hours or more. The deceased was of eccentric and was believed to be slightly demented. THE INQUEST. I Mr. •T. Gresham conducted an inquest this morning at Gleeson's Hotel on the , body of deceased. : Dr. King stated that he had examined the body, which was that of a man about 27 years of age, and to all appearances in good condition. Round the neck was a mark evidently caused by a rope, and the other appearances of the body all indicated death by strangulation. He had no doubt in stating that the injuries were self-inflicted. Herman Obee said he had known the deceased, who was a native of Wurtemburg, for some time. On Thursday last' he saw the deceased about 9.40 pan., when he seemed in good spirits, and in no way excited witness' suspicions as to his mental condition. John Wilson said the deceased had been living on the same premises as he had for the last three months. Yesterday about 3.30 p.m. witness wanted to know if he was home. On looking through a hole in the wall, he saw the deceased hanging from a rafter, quite . dead and cold. He then broke open the door of the room, which was locked on the inside, and cut the body down. John Williams, with whom the deceased had been staying, stated that Kilgus had always been in good spirits up till about a week ago, when he was put in the lock-up for drunkenness, since when he had been low-spirited and depressed. Constable Dunn said he saw the deceased for the first time on Sunday last, whin he was arrested for being drunk. He gave corroborative evidence as to the finding of the deceased, and said he could confidently state that the body had been hanging for 24 hours or more. The jury, without any lengthy discussion, returned a verdict of "Death due to strangulation, self-inflicted, whilst mentally deranged."