SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 9

SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

FARMER SHOOTS HIMSELF.

AND KILLS HIS HORSE.

"THE LAST TIME YOU WILL SEE

ME ALIVE."

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WHANGAREI, this day.

An extraordinary story of suicide was told at an inquest held at Pakotai by Mr. Luxford, S.M., this morning, on the body of Victor Clarence Merkley Clarke, aged about 35 years. Deceased was a married man with four children, a farmer at Awaroa, near Pakotai. His wife deposed that the deceased was a kind husband and father, and that he enjoyed general good health, though subject to occasional fits of depression, when he was apt to say a man was better dead than alive. Yesterdav, when witness was riding round the farm to look after some ewes, she met deceased, who compelled her to dismount. He then got into the saddle and galloped away, shouting: "This is the last time you will see me alive." A few minutes later she heard two shots. She called a neighbour, Mr. William Ritchie, who found the horse lying dead with a bullet wound between the eyes and the bridle over a post. On the opposite side of the fence deceased lay dead with a gun between his legs and part of his head blown away. William Ritchie, in giving evidence, said he could give no reason why deceased should have committed such an act.

The coroner returned a verdict that Clark committed suicide when in a state of mind which rendered him incapable of understanding the nature of his act.

General regret is felt throughout the district, where deceased was highly respected.