TRAGIC DEATH OF THE EXGOVERNOR OF SUAKIM

Evening Star, Issue 15477, 27 April 1914, Page 9

TRAGIC DEATH OF THE EXGOVERNOR OF SUAKIM

Th© tragic death of Captain Normsfn Ern«gt Playfair r who stabbed himself with a dagger while sitting up with his wife, was the subject of an inquest at Waterlooville, near Portsmouth, recently, when extraordinary evidence wag given. Captain Playfair was the youngest son of the late General. Playfair, and he married the widow of the late General Sir V. Forestier-Walker. Mrs Playfair said_thair on the evening of March 8 she and her husband were Bitting up talking. She had been reading to hitn parts of the ' Midsummer Night's Dream,' and ho complained that the book bored him. Shortly after midnight he went upstairs, saying ho would go and take a lot of veronal. She rail before him and locked the door, so that he could not get at the veronal; When they came downstairs he coin* plained of his head, and she induced him to go into the cloak room, where she bathed his forehead with water. Whilst she was tidying up her husband left the room, making some remark which she could not catch about " ending it."" Hearing a thud, she«lvent outside and saw her husband, a% she thought, fainting. She supported him into the morning room, and there found ho was bleeding. She then noticed the handle of a dagger sticking out from under him, and found he was wounded. He had apparently picked up the dagger off the hall table. Her husband had seen much service in tropical countries, and this had affected his heart. When Governor of Suakim he had to ride 60 miles per day on a camel, collecting tribute from tribesmen, amongst whom he carried his life in his hand. He had also served in the- Tirah and elsewhere. Occasionally he -suffered greatly with his head. Evidence was given that Captain Playfair Was greatly given to worrying, and the jury returned a verdict of suicide during temporary insanity.