INQUEST

Evening Star, Issue 17482, 13 October 1920, Page 3

INQUEST

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon, before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M. (Coroner), concerning the death of George Henry Tyler, who was found dead m Stuart street in the morning. Evidence was given by Francis Gordon. He stated that he was an intimate friend of deceased, and had known him for about sis years. Deceased was tho proprietor of Sweeting's supper rooms, in Stuart street. He had seen him every day for the past fortnight. On Monday-he "asked for the loan of his shotgun to go shooting, and he then appeared to be in good health and spirits. He "had been worried, and had been drinking heavily for some months. He had never hinted at suicide.

Dr Evans said he was summoned to the shop at about 9 o'clock in the morning. He found deceased in the pantry. The left side of his head had been blown away, and liis left eye was missing. There had been a fair amount of bleeding. On the floor was a double-barrelled shotgun pointing towards deceased, one barrel of which had been discharged. A discoloration of the left check showed that it had been fired at close range. The cause of death was shock following a compound fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain substance. Death had probably been instantaneous.

Ada Blee, an employee of the deceased, said he lived on the premises alone. She went to work at about 7 o'clock vesterdav morning,,, and opened tho shop. 'Deceased was upstairs when she opened the shop, and was in the best of spirits. &he was sent out at aTxrat'B o'clock. a.nd returned to the shop about 10 minutes later. There was a strange quietness about the place on her return. She went into the pantry. and found deceased's body there. He had been depressed and worried, but had not been drinking. Once, about a week ago. he had threatened to commit suicide. ° Constables Hamilton and Harvey also gave evidence.

A verdict was returned in accordance with the medical evidence:—" That deceased died from injuries caused by gunshot self-inflicted while in a despondent state of mind."