THE DANNEVIRKE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 20373, 3 January 1930, Page 2

THE DANNEVIRKE TRAGEDY

DEATH OF HAROLD JAMES HAY A VERDICT OF SUICIDE [Pra Uxjtbd P*IM ASSOCIATION.] DANNEVIRKE, January 2. An inquest was held on the body of Harold James Hay, aged about fortyfiv° a commercial traveller in the employ of Messrs H. H. Stevens and Co., wholesale druggists of Christchurch, who died in the early hours of New Year’s Day following unusual circumstances. . Frances Eileen Stevens, spinster, a clerk, residing in Coromandel street, Wellington, said she knew the deceased, having met him when they were working for the same firm in Wellington in 1925. Later she assisted in her spare time in keeping his books. They were friendly, but had a little difference about four months ago owing to something she had heard. She desired to discontinue the friendship, but the deceased persisted in his endeavours to continue it. The deceased led her to believe that he was a single man. Ho had previously threatened to commit suicide. About four months ago the deceased went to the office in the city where witness was worknig, produced a tinv bottle marked “poison,” and drank the contents. He went away and rang up the office an hour later, and witness came to the conclusion that he was “bluffing.” She saw him at tho Dannevirke railway station on December 24. Witness had come to Dannevirke to spend a holiday. She did not speak to the deceased, who called at the house of her brother-in-law, Mr Cotter, where she stayed on Christmas Eve, She gave him to understand that she did not want his company. An she and the Cotters were going out for the evening the deceased accompanied them to a friend’s house and then left.

After detailing her arrival home and finding Hay under her bed, witness said she told the deceased that if he would leave quictlv she would Jet him go. This he declined to do, and she called her sister. Witness went into the kitchen. Hay was then asked to leave by Mrs Cotter, but be went into witness’s bedroom, sat on the bed, took a small bottle from his poeket, and said: “I’ll take this.” He swallowed the contents and lay over on the bed. Subsequently he was put outside by Mr Cotter, who was not aware that ho had taken poison. Later he was found dead. Mr Cotter said he was aware that the deceased had an infatuation for Miss Stevens, and also that his advances wore being resisted. He did not know that Hav was a married man with a wife and two children, and that he was separated from his wife. A verdict was returned that tho deceased died ns the result of taking a dose of cyanide.