HEALTH ADVISER’S SUICIDE

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1933, Page 3

HEALTH ADVISER’S SUICIDE

WISH FOR CREMATION. UDNDON, August 15. Most deliberate preparations to end bis lite and the curious contents of an unwitnessed will were revealed at an inquest held' by the Watford coionei at Rickmansworth last night. The inquest was on David Arthur Lovell-Williams, 70, an author and health adviser, who was found dead with a wound in his throat and his head in a gas oven at Mariecroft, Valley Road, Chorley Wood, where he lived alone. ' „ ~ The jury returned a verdict ot suicide during temporary insanity. The coroner said that Williams left a letter, dated August 3, which read: “This is my last will and testament, Being alone in the world since the death of my beloved wife, I give and bequeath all my belongings and property to the National Exchequer for disposal as the authorities may think fit. I wish my body to be cremated and the ashes scattered over the ground. ... . “I wish my little dog, Bob, to which I am very much attached, to be put in the lethal chamber for a painless ending, and, if possible, to be cremated with me. “Please destroy unread all my private papers and letters, both here and at my office, as they are of no interest to the outside world.” Police-Sergt. Dowty said there was a bloodstained table knife in the oven, and apparently, after putting his head in the oven, deceased pushed the knife into the side of his neck. Beneath the body were newspapers, an eiderdown, and a dressing gown, and beneath the man’s head in the oven was a stack of newspapers, on which were a novel and a pillow. Williams had an office at Wigmoie Studios, Wigmore Street, London, and the headings of his notepaper stated that he was the author of Ars Vivendi,” and that he was president of the Ars Vivendi Health League. His account book showed that he was not in financial difficulties. Mr H. A. Justin Baker, a solicitor and neighbour, said that Williams, had lived alone since the death of his wife in 1932. He was a cheerful man, but always seemed “in the clouds.”