THE WAIHI SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 133, 5 June 1907, Page 5

THE WAIHI SUICIDE.

INQUEST ON BOYER. FAREWELL LETTERS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WATHT, this day. An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of F. R. Boyer, late manager of the Waihi Go-operative Workers' Society, was held to-day before Mr. Max D. King, coroner, and a jury of six, Mr. Boyer having died yesterday afternoon.

Mrs. Boyer. who was distressingly affected, gave evidence of identification. She also stated that her husband came to his tea as usual, at a quarter to five on the evening of the occurrence. He took his tea as usual, and appeared in his usual health and spirits. He said he had to be back at the shop to allow the girl to get away at six o'clock. He left the house in time to fulfil his promise, and she did not see him. again until after the occurrence.

William Robert Dunn, Vice-chairman of the Workers' Co-operative Society, deposed that on. Saturday night, the "25th ult.. there was to have been a meeting of committee held at the stores. That evening he found a letter addressed to him on the managers table. He recognised the handwriting as that of the deceased. The letter was as follows: —

Dear Dunn.—As I am about worried off nrv head, and intend finishing matters tonisht. I want you to do a last favour — my wife. Poor woman, she will take it bad. Give her all the assistance you can. like a gooii fellow, and I know you will do it. lam leaving a letter j for her in the drawer of the table, telling I her to sell out and go to my people. Help her to gee away. Goodbye, old man. ami God bless you. (Signed) F. R. Boyer. P.S.—The keys will be in my pocket in the cart-shed. I have not much, money in the bank, having let some wages go to help things along— about £25. If the committee see their way clear, give it to my wife." It was about ten minutes past eight when witness opened the letter: it was about twenty minutes after this that he i told the others. The shock to him was I very great: hence his delay in acting ' promptly. It -was about twenty minutes to nine when the body was found. Prior to the meeting deceased said he -would Ibe ready for the meeting, and he apjpeared to be all right. Witness could not account for 1"° act of violence- it was quite possible that deceased had too much to do in keeping the books as well as managing the affairs of the society, but. when approached on the matter, the manager did not think it necessary to I employ extra assistance. If deceased I had only approached; the committee andI stated the circumstances he would have obtained sympathetic assistance. Deceased received a salary of £5 10/ a week. The Coroner: You have made a. charge of incompetent management. Upon. what do you base your theory? Witness: In buying and selling. Continuing, witness, in reply to the coroner, said that incapable management had been disclosed subsequent to the occurrence, but even then mismanagement ■was only trifling. Witness could not say that £25 had been personally advanced by the deceased to help the Society, as stated in the letter. He had learned nothing about the matter since. In reply to a juryman witness said that there was nothing to cause the man to take hi 3 life. He thought the only reason why deceased had committed the act was because of his own inability to do the work of his position. , John Henry Roberts, a member of the Society's committee of management, gave evidence of finding the body. He knew no reason why deceased had taken his life. The committee of management up to the time of the occurrence had every confidence in deceased. Stephen Eltringham, another member of committee, also gave evidence. He could not suggest any cause for the deed. George Hunns, manager for Mr Hague Smith, ironmonger, stated that he sold deceased a revolver and ammunition on the day of the occurrence to shoot rats with. Deceased appeared to be all right, and chatted away for half-an-hour after the sale. Constable Cumming gave formal evidence as io the finding of the body and its removal to a private hospital. Deceased told Mm that he had committed! the act because of worry in connection with the store. Deceased said he had also drunk strychnine, and had shot himself at T-30. "Deceased lived happily at home with his wife and family, and had no worry, he said, excepting at the stores, the cause being the porch age of too much stock and not sufficient money to pay for it.

Dr. Claridge deposed that he made a post-mortem examination and gave evidence as to the wounds inflicted on the head and chest. He said he found bruising and haemorrhage of the lungs and the pericardium. Lying on the pericardium was a bullet (produced). He found no evidence of poison in the stomach. Hehad opened the skull snd found a small bullet. There were signs of pus at the seat of this fracture, i'he brain was injured owing to inflammation, and in his opinion that injury caused death. All the wounds could have been self-in-flicted.

Dr. Craig, who "attended deceased in conjunction with Dr. Robertson, and who was present at the post-mortem, gave corroborative evidence as to the immediate cause of death. The shots must have been fired within two feet of the head.

The jury returned a veTdiet tnafc deceased died from bullet wounds, self-in-flicted.