A MELANCHOLY STORY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8480, 11 May 1893, Page 6

A MELANCHOLY STORY.

On Tuesday afternoon as Mr Brun, who lives in Manchester street, was walking in the North Park he noticed a body under a tree. Having two children with him he did not interfere with or examine the body closely, but proceeded to the Police Station aud gave information as to what he had seen. Sergeaut Barlow, accompanied by Mr Brun and Constables Ramsay and Dillon, then went to the spot. There they found the body of a man under a tree, with the head to the north-west. A five-cham-bered revolver, which was evidently new, was clutched in the right hand, the forefinger being round the trigger. The revolver was loaded in all the chambers except two. There was blood oozing from the mouth, and a pool of blood was also noticeable under the head of the body. Sergeant Barlow searched the body and found a letter addressed to Mrs Cooke. The letter, which was headed "Monday morning, May Bth, '93," and addressed "My dear mother." The deceased intimated that he was in such a state that it would take nine weeks to get well, and as he did not wish to impose on bis mother so long he had decided to destroy himself. By the side of the corpss was a bottle of whiskey, untouched, and a small flask of brandy in his coat pocket, which was also uuopaned. The letter was signed ** Charle3 Cooke." Sergeant Barlow had the body conveyed to the White Swau Hotel, and t'neu proceeded to trace out the parents ot the suicide. The mother, Mr3 Elizabeth Cooke, who resides at 77 Armagh street, identified the body as that of her son, and stated that he was employed as day porter at the Metropolitan Hotel kept by Mr Otto Schueider. Her sou left home on Monday morning as usual for his work so far as she knew. He had been complaining of feeling unwell, but had not been confined to his bed. Air Otto Schueider, who is the proprietor of the Alctropolitan Hotel, states that Cooke, who was employe 1 by him as day porter, left the hotel and went home ou Saturday complainuig of illness. He told Mr Schneider that he could not be fit to work for three weeks. Ou Monday, at 10 a.m., he came to the hotel and Mr Schneider paid him the wages due to him, aud he left. Mr Schneider gives the deceased an excellent chaiacter as a steady, sober man and au excellent servant. '