SUICIDE IN PICCADILLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1922, Page 14

SUICIDE IN PICCADILLY.

BRILLIANT YOUNG STUDENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, April 25. A tragedy which took place in Piccadilly on Saturday will call out sympathy in New Zealand for the bereaved father, Professor Bateeon, who was President of the British Association during its memorable 191* vieit to Australasia. llr. Martin Bateson, hie eon, shot himself in Piccadilly at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At the inquest yesterday a verdict of suicide was returned. The existence of the young man's affection for a lady, whose name wae not nieiftionodo who had written forbidding him to call on her, was stated to have been unknown to members of his family until after his death on Saturday. The letter found on him stated: "She was the loveliest child, and her heart i< made of gold—gold as undeliled as it whs in the days of old." I'rufessor Bateeon said his son secured a scholarship at Cambridge and took first in natural science. After that witness had some doubt as to how his eon should continue his career. He was considerably upset about that time owing to the loss of his elder brother in the war. lie was greatly attached to his lnwther, and witness was of the opinion that the brother's death changed his viewg of life, especially as his elder brother was also a scientific friend. "I have heard," Professor Bateeon said, "that he did talk of taking his life, but I don't think that talk was serious" Many boys do it at critical ages. After a time we did hear suddenly that he had decided to etudy for dramatic art. and he became a student and entered into hie work with great enthusiasm. The Coroner: What was hie object?— He hoped to become a writer of plays. He was very much interested in epigrammatic writings and epigrammatic thought of all kinds. The sympathy of all those who knew Professor Bateson has gone out to him in thie trial. Men of the N.Z.E.F. who were at Walton will extend that sympathy, too, to Miss Durham, who was in charge of the medical records there, whose nephew he wae, for young Bateeon was a most brilliant, charming, and lovable youth, from whom one looked for great things.