SUICIDE OF A RECLUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 232, 1 October 1925, Page 15

SUICIDE OF A RECLUSE.

"EVER PRESENT PAIN." "That her death was caused by gas poisoning, self administered while in a depressed state oi mind due to ill health."-" was the verdict returned by the district coroner. Mr. D. H. Sutherland, at Onehunga. yesterday afternoon, after the inquest on the death of Miss Ethel Lambe. Constable P. W. Jones said he visited the home of dei-eased in Arthur >treet West, Onehunga. on Tuesday afternoonin company with Constable W. E. PoU they found all fhe doors locked and the windows secured. When they grot into the house they could smell escaping gas very strongly. Witness found the deceased lying on a stretcher bed near to the pas stove, wiih a tube close to her mouth and attached to the stove. The tube was fastened to her dress with a safety pin. and her head was covered trith an overcoat. Tbe keyholes in the doors were stuffed with rags. She had been dead for some time, as the hands and bocv -«-er« quite cold. Constable Jones found several ietters on a sideboard. Ot>e was addressed to the police, written by the deceased, who stated that the could not endure her suffering any longer. H-=r faith was in God. and she believed He would give her rest, ine deceased asked the police to f-ommunicate ""ith her trustees in Auckland, whom she named in the letter. John Graham Hughes, builder, residing at 25. Brentwood Avenue. Mount Eden, identified the body as that of Miss Lambe. He read a parasraph from a letter received by his wife rrom Miss Lambe. as foEows: -I cannot go on struggling any longer. This ever present pain, attacks of nausea, ever aching body, and increasing debility have worn mc down at last. This concluded tbe evidence, and the Coroner returned his verdict as stated.