TRAGEDY OF YOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

TRAGEDY OF YOUTH.

STUDIED TOO DEEPLY. POISONING EPISODE. How a young student, a brilliant scholar, who was said to have studied psychology, deeply, went oiit with a fifteen-year-old girl in a car, told her he was fed up with life, and dashed off to a wood, where liis body "was later found, was revealed at an inquest at Bexley Heath. The boy was Donald A. Cook, the only son of Mr. Samuel Cook, a retired engineer, of Standard Road, Bexley Heath. His death was due to cyanide of potassium poisoning, and in returning a verdict of euieide wMiet temporarily insane, the Coroner said three letters written 'by the •boy clearly indicated that he was keeping company with more than one girl. Mies Violet G-ibbone, aged 15, a pretty brunette, the daughter of a golf professional at Bexley Heath, eadd ehe was with Cook on ithe night of his death. She met Cook on her way home from school, and at six o'clock dn the evening joined him in his father's car. She had seen 'him frequently during the last few months along with other boy friends. They were only friendly.

"Wihen we were near Dartford Heath," eaid witness, "Cook pulled up the car and said, 'I am fed up with life!' He got out of the car, and I followed him. He took his guitar, and together we sat for a little while on the 'bank. He then showed me some sticks of white stuff which were in a matchbox. He said 'goodbye,' and dashed off into the woods. I thought he was just joking. I went after him a few minutes later, because I suddenly realised that he might have been serious. I told him the must be insane. He eaid, 'You can't 6top me,' and rushed away again." Miss Gibbins added that she went after him. again, and ihe then eat down on the ground and smoked a cigarette. She eaw him take a matchbox from his pocket and put some white stuff in ihis mouth. "Suddenly ihe lurched forward on to his face," said witness. "I got frightened and rushed out to the road and asked a young man to fetch the police."

She was surprised when she heard Cook say die was fed up with life, 'because in hie previous conversation he had been quite normal. Mr. Samuel Cook, the father, said his son bad occasional periods of depression. He had studied psychological subjects deeply. He took things very seriously, and he seemed to go deeper and deeper. "He has now gone out of his own depth." added Mr. Cook, sadly. Mr. Cook eaid he did not object to his son keeping company with a girl. There was no talk of any engagement. His son told ihhn the girl had givenhim up. This and (hie failure at an examination, seemed to bring the depression on more and more. A chemistry master at deceased's school said senior students would have access to cyanide of potassiumThe Coroner said the letters left by deceased showed that the breaking off of a friendship or association, not necassarily an engagement, with one girl seemed to have depressed him. , "I would like to say." added the Coroner, ■ "the lady referred to is not Mies Gi'bbins."