A SUICIDE'S LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 16, 16 July 1910, Page 8

A SUICIDE'S LETTER.

CBy Telegrapn. —Press Association.) DUKEDIN, Friday. The discovery of a letter on the body of Donald Larnach, who committed suicide yesterday, shows that the idea of suicide had .been in his mind. This letter runs: "1 wish my remains to be taken. out to sea and dumped overboard. Failing this, place them in the family vaultOn no account have prayers read at my (burial." The writer expresses belief in a Creator, but disbelief in the Bible, and concludes by stating that he wants no followers at his funeral.

Then follows this verse from Adam Lindsay Gordon's "Sick Stockrider":—

I have had my share of pastime, and I've done my share of toil, And life is short — the loncest life a I care not now to tarry foe the corn or for the oil, Or the wine that maketh glad the heart heart of man. For good undone, and gifts mis-spent, and resolutions vain, "Tis somewhat lnte to tarry. This I know, I would lire the same life over if I had to live again And the chances are I'd go where most men go. Below is written, "Good-bye," and then the signature has evidently been cut out, and under the cut strip are these words written in lead pencil: "Vault keys are in my hatbox." On the other side of the sheet on which the letter was written was found a short note in pencil, apparently intended to be sent to his daughter in Oamaru. It read: "Three, three sleepless nights! I am going mad. My darlmg girl is in Sydney unprotected." (What follows is a private communication, to his daughter.) Deceased leaves three daughters, -two of whom are married. DUNEDIN, this day. In connection with the suicide of Donald Larnach, evidence given at the inquest showed that deceased had two fits recently, the last one the evening 'before he shot himself. The opinion was expressed by a friend that this ihad caused him to be despondent. A verdict was returned that death was caused by a bullet wound, self-inflicted.