SUPPOSED SUICIDE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9520, 12 September 1896, Page 4

SUPPOSED SUICIDE.

I Charles Hillary Parker, a eomnmsfon agent and bailiff, who has been in Christ*, church for a qrcat number of years, was found dead yesterday morning, having, it is supposed, died from the effects of poison administered by himself. He occupied an oifice in a building in Hereford street near the Hereford Hotel, and had as an assistant a man named Edward Bennett. When the assistant reached the oflice about 8.15 a.m. yesterday he w.** startled at seeing tho body of his employer fully dressed lying face downwards on. ths floor. Bennett at once gave an alarm, and Mr A. Reynolds, hairdresser, who occupies a shop close by, and was the first spoken to, rang up tho police and Dr. Byrnes. Sergeant Briggs and Dr. Byrnes arrived quickly and made a closo examination of Parker and the office. Parker was then dead, though the body was warm, and it did not present the appearance of a mau who had taken poison, but from a letter found on the deceased it is surmised that suicide was contemplated. Tho search of the office revealed no traces of poison, but a portion ol an orange was discovered, aud it in presumed that whatever was administered was taken with the orange. The lotter was on a slip ot yellow paper, on which the writing waß in pencil. It was addressed to deceased's wife, and wished her good-bye, stating that " this ia the best and only thing for me—l am mad. Kiss the children for mc," and was signed "Hillary." Financial troubles are supposed to be the cause whi-h led to Parker's death. The police took possession of the body and the deceased's effects pending tho inquest, which will be hold at the Hereford Hotel at 9.30 a.m. to-day,