THE SOUTHLAND TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 8

THE SOUTHLAND TRAGEDY

[Per United Pekss Association.]

INVERCARGILL, April 13. The inquest concerning the deaths of the victims of the Crinan street tragedy was concluded this evening. Archibald M'Lcan, city missionary, said he had daily opportunities of observing Baxter's relations with his family, and would say they were a very happy family. Baxter was not hasty tempered, "and witness had never heard an angry word. Baxter had been ill for about a'month. Ur Ewart described the wounds, and added that insane people were liable to impulses, which might sometimes be of such force as to bo irresistible. There might or might not be signs of intellectual aberration. The chief feature of such a disorder was an impluse to destroy, and it might not be controlled by the person. George M'Carter, employed in Baxter's shop and nursery, said that on the Monday preceding the tragedy Baxter was pale and very quiet, and seemed in a low and weak state. He had seemed depressed for abont a fortnight. At 3 p.m. on Tuesday (the night of the tragedy) witness went to Baxter's honse for instructions, and saw Mrs Baxter, who took his message to Baxter and brought back the replies. She said Mr Baxter's head was had. Margaret M'Rohie. who had nursed Mrs Baxter through, her recent illness, said that Baxter was kind to his family, but for a fortnight before witness left the house he had been complaining of pains in his head. Witness thought him far from sane. He would lie in bed all day sometimes, go out for part of the day, and then come home and go to bed. During "this fortnight he seemed miserable, and one night ho took a bottle of laudanum from witness's room, and when asked to return it said the bottle was broken. The jury found that James Reid Baxter committed suicide whilo suffering from impulsive insanity, and that the other victims met their death at his hands while he was so suffering. The police were specially commended for their action in dealing with the emergency.