ASPHYXIATED IN BED

Evening Star, Issue 18032, 28 July 1922, Page 7

ASPHYXIATED IN BED

MAN COMMITS SUICIDE. ILLNESS CAtSES DEPRESSION. The inquest on the body of Thomas Edgar Clarke, forty years of age, who was found dead in his home in Cumberland street on Monday morning last, was concluded this morning "before Mill. W. Bundle, S.M. (sitting as coroner). Dr Evan's said that last? Monday afternoon he examined the body at the Morgue. There were no marks ot violence or signs of injury. Rigor mortis was wen marked. Upon pres--1 sure of the chest the smell of gas could [bo detected, and from the history of 'the case and his examination of the body he was of opinion that death was due to asphyxia following coal gas poisoning. Charles Rumsey, who lived next door, ( said he sat up with deceased, and left him at 1.20 a.m., on the 24th. Deceased had been pretty bad that morning. For about four or five weeks prior to his death he had been ill. He did not pass any remarks to witness before witness left him. Witness left deceased in the house, in which iio was alone, and wont to visit him again at 8 o’clock. Witness then found a strong smell .of gas in the house, and found deceased dead in his bed.

Alice Maude Clarke, wife of deceased, deposed that she left for Wellington on June 5, her husband then being in "his usual health. In 1916 ho strained himself on the Wellington wharf, and since then had had periodical illnesses. A number of times he had been in hospital, but, being impatient, would not stay there for long enough. Ho suffered with considerable pain. Ho wrote to her while she was in Wellington, but ho did not say he had been ill again. She had never heard him threaten to take his own life. At times he become depressed, but never to any considerable extent. Sergeant Boulton 'stated that ho went to the’ house at 9 a.m. on the morning of the 24th. There was a strong smell of gas, and deceased was dead in bed. Witness found that the gas meter had been disconnected, allowing a full flow of gas to come into the room. The body was removed to the Morgue. In reply to the Coroner, the sergeant said the disconnection could not have come about accidentally. The Coroner said that was no question as to what had happened. He found that deceased committed suicide by poisoning himself with coal gas while he was in a state of mental depression, the cause of death being asphyxia following coal gas poisoning.