SUICIDE IN GAOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 8

SUICIDE IN GAOL.

MAORI TAKES HIS LIFE.

ARRESTED ON BURGLARY

CHARGE.

SEQUEL TO BIG TUAKAU FIEE,

A Maori, named Manuel Wilson, aged 29, who was on remand at Mount Eden prison, awaiting trial on a charge. 01 breaking, entering and theft, committed suicide in his coll this morning by hanging himself with a towel, one end of which was tied to the window bars.

Wilson appeared to be quite all right when he was given his breakfast about 6.30 this morning, but when the warder called at his cell at 8.30 a.m. to release Wilson for exercise in the remand yard, it was found he was dead. An inquest will be held. Deceased, who was a labourer, was arrested on New Year's Eve by Detective O'Sullivan on a charge of breaking and entering on the night of December 28, the store of the Farmers' Trading Company, Ltd., at Tuakau and stealing two gramophones and a quantity of other goods. He was remanded by Mr. P. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court on January 1 to appear on January 7. On this date he was further remanded and appeared again last Monday. He was then again remanded until January 30.

About 4.30 a.m. on December 29 a big fire which followed an explosion in the Farmers' Trading Company's store at Tuakau, completely destroyed the building, the loss being assessed at £8000. The adjoining garage of Messrs. Giles Bros, was also destroyed, the total damage by fire being estimated at between < £10,000 and £12*000. The origin of the fire was a mystery.