MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 295, 7 September 1908, Page 3

MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.

A BANK DRAFT. (BT TEt.EGK APil. —STF.CIAL COItIIESPONDENT.) Auckland, September 5. At the inquest on the body of the man who was found shot on Mount Eden on Thursday, Harold F. Law, an officer of tho Bank of Australasia, identified the body as that of Robert King. Witness had ■ seen King in the bank on four or five occasions. King's first visit was about August 12, when he presented a draft for £285 2s. 3d., drawn by tho National Bank, Portland, Oregon, on July 13, 1903. Thife tho Bank of Australasia could not pay, as tho necessary advices had not been received from America. On tho occasions on which he called after that date witness asked him if he wero in need of money, and deceased replied that he had sufficient. 'i'he advices from America arrived on Monday last, just an hour after King paid his last visit to tho bank. Tho signatures on the papers found in deceased's pocket were identical with those received from America in connection with tho draft. He was a stolid type of man, and certainly was not worried about the delay in receiving tho money.

Mr. W. A. Prickitt (Consul-General for the United States) said that King came to him on Monday morning last and said that he was unable to collect the money on tho draft, which he produced. "Witness told him to remain in the Consulate while he went over to the bank to see what was the matter. The bank authorities told him that the draft had just arrived, and that thoy. would pay the money on the proper endorsement. King then left the Consulate. He was a man who spoke with a distinct German accent, although ho might have been a naturalised American citizen. Ho appeared to be absentminded, but there was nothing in his appearance to lead one_ to" think that he was likely to commit suicide. Witness had not seen him since alive.

Mr. S. C. Schofield, the house manager of the hospital, stated that the nurse, in searching tho man's clothes, found a purse containing £11 15s. This had been overlooked in the first hasty search made at Mount Eden before the mall was brought to the bospital. The jury returned a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind. The body has been photographed, and copies of. the photograph yill be sent to the United States to assist in further identifying the man.