A DETERMINED SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1908, Page 3

A DETERMINED SUICIDE.

BY. A YOUTH OF, 19. "FELT HE WAS GOING MAD," '' A determined suicide, under somewhat sensational circumstances,.took place at Mayfield, near Birkenhead, last evening. From particulars to hand this morning it appears that a young man named David Ernest Forest, aged 19, took his life in a most determined manner. The deceased was a carpenter, employed a-t the Chelsea Sugar Works, and lived with his mother and elder brother at Parkland, May field, which is a few miles out of birkenhead.

Yesterday morning the deceased said he had seen a rabbit in the vicinity of the house, and told his mother he thought he would go out and have a shot at it. For this alleged purpose he borrowed a neighbour's fowling piece, and no one had any apprehension that there was an ulterior motive behind his action. About 8.30 in the evening he went out. His mothe*r spoke casually to him as he left the house, and the son replied that he was going out for a shot. Shortly afterwards the mother heard the report of a gun, but suspected nothing serious, as she believed that a young man named Wilcox was with her son.

A little later Mrs. Forest went to bed. Towards midnight the eldest son, Donald, returned home, and on proceeding to his bedroom noticed a letter pinned to the table. The note was addressed to him and read as follow?: "1 feel that I am becoming dotty, and am about to put an end to myself. Tell mother not to worry about mp. You will find my body down below the house, under the little bruise."

Donald Forest at once awakened his mother, and the pair proceeded to the spot indicated by the deceased in his letter. They found the body lying near the bridge, with a gun beside it. The gun was a big bored fowling-piece, and in the breech was a No. 12 Callistite cartridge case. It was evident that the unfortunate youth had placed the barrel in his mouth, and pulled the trigger. His head was utterly shattered.

Dr. Player and Constable MeGilp were at once summoned, but the doctor could only pronounce that life had been extinct some two or three hours.

Young Forest was a highly respected young man of exemplary character. Some time ago he underwent an operation for a polypus growth, and lately he had complained on waking each morning, that he had spent long nights of pain and sleeplessness. It is thought that the fear of another operation preyed upon his mind, and induced him to take the extreme action to which he had recourse. During the day Forest appeared to be in rather good spirits, and spent part of yesterday morning in working out his Bible class lessons, a tablet being found alongside the last fateful letter addressed to his brother.

The matter was reported to the City Coroner, and an inquest will be held.