Suicide at Petone Railway Station.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3, 4 January 1889, Page 2

Suicide at Petone Railway Station.

A HAWKER SHOOTS HIMSELF. Petone railway station was the scene of a determined suicidejgome time last night. A hawker named Josoph Thomas Holyman was' a passenger from Wellington by the 10 p.m. train. His movements do not appear to have been observed after he alighted at Petono station, but this morning the stationmaster found his body within 25 yards of the station door, in the avenue of trees which leads from the buildings to tbo Huttroad, with a bullet-wound through the head. The limbs were quite rigid, and alongside the body there was a six-chambered revolver, one barrel of whioh was discharged, the other five being still loaded From the condition of the remains it was evident that deceased had put the muzzlo of the revolver into his mouth and fired tho fatal shot, the bullet passing out at tho back of his head. The presumption is that he loitered about the premises until the officials had left for the night, and then committed the act which deprived him of life. Holyman was apparently about 35 years of age, and of Jewish cast of countenance, his face being clean shaven with the exception of the moustache. His hawker's pack lay close at hand, and in his pookets there was a Post Office Savings Bank pass-book, which showed that he originally oame from Gisborno, besides soveral invoices that indicated that he had had business dealings with the firm of Sargood, Son, & Ewen. On enquiry at Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Ewen'a warehouse, we learn that deceased has purchased goods there at various times within the last three or four months, but beyond these dealings nothing is known by the staff as to his habits or antecedents. Holyman's only companion on the journey from town was a man named Joseph Bennett, who states that he did not notice anything remarkable in his behaviour. The Coronor's inquest will be held at Petone at 4 o'clock this afternoon, by Mr. Robinson, R.M.