THE SUICIDE AT ONEHUNGA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4733, 7 October 1886, Page 3

THE SUICIDE AT ONEHUNGA.

F¥RTHER PARTICULARS

[per press association.]

Auckland, This day. Dr Erson, who was yell acquainted with the deceased, makes the following statement:—Mr Gurr came to me last night and was in a very depressed state. I noticed this tho more as I had been out of town on a holiday, and had not seen him lately. I was the first to tell Gurr about the serious charges against him. He was shinned by the news. I considered Gurr a man deficient iv moral courage—that }s why ho sank under his trouble. Gurr felt that the charge was so serious after his past success that whon I told him, he asked " Do you believe it?" I said " 1 do not " Then he said " May I come to see Y ou»" The night beforo last he called upon me, and I saw a great change. This was caused by the publication of the charges in the newspapers, added to the fact that some one senr him a -lip dipped from & Wtllii'.™ paper '■_<-.;;:'..- the «tl™<r letter to the Board denying tho SS-SftioSt Be replied, " I am beside myS and do not know what lam doing but if you will assist me I will write. Gun told mo had not slept for several nights. I tod him to tako a dose of bromidei of potassmm He said he had some in his house, and would take it when he went home. He declared teme that his mind was completely unhinged. I told him to show a strong faco and declare his innocence, as all his friends would rally round him. Gurr retailed, "What further punishment could have been'meted out to me, even if guilty, than to have had the thing published throughout the colony as a flagrant charge, and after building np a reputation like mim; to he blasted in this way?" I then eV'ir.k iiaads \di% Gurr and he .wont away. I be-

lieve him to havo boen entirely innocent. His action was tho result of not having moral courage to face the situation. I got the leading points he wished to bring beforo the Board : fl.) The investigation was not reported. (2.) Ho was afforded no opportunity of being brought face to face with his accusers and repudiating the charge. (3.) That a promiso was made to those enquired of that their charges would be held with strict privacy. (4.) His resignation was sent iv when informed by some members of the committee that thero was not a substantiation of any of the charges, and that the action was taken on account of his natural feelings and for the good of the school. (5.) To draw tho attention of the B'>ard to the fact that tho children alleged to have made charges had continued to" attend the school without a murmur. These points I took down 113 dictated by him. His last words to me whon leaving, in confirmation of his oft-repoated declaration of complete innocence, were: " Before God I am innocent in thought, word, and deed of any wrong action to any of these children." Previous to visiting Dr. Erson s the de • ceased went to tho office of Mr Wastcney, solicitor, and made his will, which was witnessed by Richard Bright. During the conversation which he had with Mr Bright he (Gurr) said he would accept Mr Bright's advice and leave the place, but pointed out that he could not take his family with him. The deceas&d was not seen again after 10.15 His daughter usually brought his breakfast up to him, and this morning sho brought that meal into deceased's room, but found that he was not there. Sho discovered a lotter lying upon a table addressed to the Rev. Mr Mulgan, Church of England clergyman, Onehunga. She mado enquiries for her fathei's whereabouts, aud was greatly shocked when she learned he had destroyed himself. The young lady states that her father never told his family of the charges which had been preferred against him. In tho letter addressed to tho Rev. Mr Mulgan the deceased said, '• Look after my children, and break tho news gently to my family. Look near the little bridge." Mr Gurr retained Mr C. E. Button last week to defend him. He told a friend when his wife went South that having got rid of her he would fight it out in the Supreme Court. One of the deceased's sons is in business in Parnell and another is in the Government Insurance office at Wellington. Mr Gurr was transferred to Onehunga from Christchurch 15 months ago, and was formerly a teacher at Invercargill and Inspector of Schools at Christchurch.