A SOLICITOR'S SUICIDE

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 62, 10 September 1921, Page 9

A SOLICITOR'S SUICIDE

" ONLY ONE THING TO DO."

(IT' TEUORAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

, . AUCKLAND, 9th September. The adjourned inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of A. E. Skelton, solicitor, whose body was found in the harbour off the beach at Devonport on 2nd September, was held in the Magistrate's Court, to-day, before Mr. Poynton, S.M. (Coroner). 'Florence Skelton, widow of the deceased,' stated that he had three_or four nervous breakdowns during, their married life: -He had been worried on the day of his disappearance (19th August), and-she .noticed that he was strange in his manner.''" That morning he came home from \ his office (a. most unusual .thing for .him to do),' first telephoning to ask her not to go put. H* complained of his health,- and .in reply to.her said that it meant an operation, and that his condition was' hopeless..'.He also said that he was worried; that he had lost ■his grip of his .work, and could not follow his cases in Court; and that there was only one thing todo—to end it all. During'the rest of the. day -she pleaded' with him to face it out for the sake of the children. By 11 :p.m. he appeared ,to be more reasonable, and witness tried to persuade him to go to bed. He refused to do that, but said that he would lie down for a while. Witness dropped off to sleep, and when she awoke her husband was-gone. He had never before suggested ending ■ his life. Five' years ago, when he had a nervous breakdown, the doctors said it was due to his Edward Campbell, chief bailiff at the Magistrate's Court, said that he' had Iknown deceased for about 15 or 16 years, and had had frequent business transactions with him. He called in at witness's'room at the Court a day or two prior to his disappearance, and asked him if he ever got pains in the head. Witness replied in the negative. Whereupon deceased said, "If ever you do, the easiest way'to get. rid of them is very simple." Witness told him not to be silly; deceased laughed and left the room. - , j Frederick Baxter, journalist, deposed, he was a neighbour of deceased, whom he had known intimately. Witness had never known a happier family. Warwick St. G. Wilson, partner in deceased's late firm, stated that when he last saw Mr. Skelton, on the mornfog of 19th August, he appeared to be quite normal. Deceased had iho. worries outside of his work. He had been working tremendously hard of late, and witness had several times warned him that •he would kill himself. Deceased had no financial worries, and had left his family provided for. He suffered from severe headaches sometimes, and had had eeveral breakdowns, due, according to his doctors, solely, to over-work. He had been insured foi £1000 since June, 1919 ■ The CoToner's verdict was to the effect that deceased committed suicide by drowning while in a state of temporary insanity. i-