STRANGE FATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1929, Page 8

STRANGE FATE

NAVAL OFFICER’S DEATH.

The strange death at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth of Engin-eer-Lieutenant Reginald W. Laughton (25), led to the extraordinary suggestion at the inquest that he drowned himself in his cabin by fitting bags filled with water over his head. Three brother officers said that previous to his death Laughton was cheerful and normal. His servant, William Fairall, found the dooi - of his cabin locked, and it was opened by the carpenter’s mate, who cut the wood round the lock. Lieutenant-Commander Brown, who was present when the door was opened, said Laughton was lying on the floor near the washstand. Two rub-ber-lined bags were over his head. The tapes of the bags were drawn tightly, and round his neck a lanyard was tied. Death was due to suffocation. Police-Sergeant Willcocks said Laughton held one end of the lanyard in his left hand. Water came from the bags when they were taken from his head. A glass jug and tumbler on the washstand were empty, and,he believed Laughton had put water in the bags. He searched the room, which was in perfect order, and could find nothing to throw light on the mystery. There was one letter, but it had no reference to the tragedy; it was cheerful. The coroner said he proposed to take the charitable view that death was due to suffocation. He found that Laughton killed himself while of unsound mind.