LEAP TO DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 156, 30 December 1925, Page 12

LEAP TO DEATH

SUICIDE FROM GRAFTON

BRIDGE,

(it nii»in.-mn uwounoß.)

AUCKLAND, 29th December,

Pedestrians on the Grafton Bridge shortly after 2 o'clock this afternoon were horrified to' see a young man take a fatal leap from the parapet, which is about 90 feet from the ground. The body has been identified as that of James Rule, single, aged 25 years, a resident of Waihi.

Rule was crossing the bridge from Symonds street and had not got far when he stopped a pedestrian and said "Is this the highest point of the bridge, mate?" Thinking the query was merely the idle conversation of a man obviously under the influence of liquor, the pedestrian nodded in the direction of. the middle of the bridge, and asked Rule if he knew where hi was going. The reply was, "1 am on Graf ton Bridge, aren't I? I'm going across." Rule then muttered something unintelligible about being half-*.ky across. Thinking he might prove garrulous his informant told hiim to move on and keep straight ahead, and he would reach Park road. Rule said, '' Thanks, mate,'' and talked on. He apparently proceeded only a few steps, and then mounted the parapet of the bridge and jumped over. HEAD STRIKES THE GROUND. A woman and a man were passing Rule when he climbed the wall, but his action was so sudden that they did not realise his intention. The body struck the ground in a clearing within a foot of a tombstone enclosure. Rule wis breathing his last, when Dr. Mur-ay reached him within five minutes. His head had apparently struck the ground first, and the external injuries suggested that there was probably a fracture of the skull.

Rule had a wallet in his possession containing £9 in bank notts. In his breast pocket Dr. Murray found a portibn of a yellow cigarette packet which was later found to bear the words, "Hirry Dwyer understands."