STUDENT'S SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

STUDENT'S SUICIDE.

MYSTERIOUS TELEGRAMS

An undergraduate's suicide after receiving two mysterious telegrams, one from "Phonia," was recently investigated at Cambridge University.

Paul Fitte, aged 19, of St. Catherine's College, was found dead in his bed at his lodgings in Trumpington Street.

Mr. Daniel Fitte, a company director, of London, said his son _ enjoyed good health, but was very sensitive. He was always cheerful, and had his own banking account at Cambridge. 1 They had lunch together at Cambridge three weeks ago and then his son had no troubles. On November 11 he met his son in London, where he had been for some days. His son spoke of a taxicab accident. He seemed very upset, but he (Mr. Fitte) did not probe "too deeply into the cause of the 'trouble and advised him to drop his undesirable friends. A telegram was produced which read: "Please send money without fail. (Sgd.) Phonia." Mrs. Oliver. Fitte's landlady, said he was absent from his room from November 7 to 13. Two telegrams came for Fftte during the day, and the day after he returned from London she found his waste-paper basket filled with torn paper. Clarence Lowry, a first-year student at St. Catherine's College, said he was in Fitte's confidence. When he saw Fitte he was in bed looking very pale and depressed. He referred 'to a taxi smash that he had had in London, but was curiously reserved about himself. While he was there a telegram arrived for Fitte, which he read out to him as follows: "Please send money." Fitte laughed sardonically at this; Later Fitte gave Lowry a parcel to post. As far as he could remember it was to a woman. He did not know_ where Fitte stayed in London, but evidently the telegram asking for money referred to his stay there'. After the telegram came Fitte said in humorous manner, "I'd better get out of it altogether. Dr. Parsons said that Fife's death was due to coal gas poisoning. "A verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned. -/ !