DRAMATIC'SUICIDE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12902, 1 July 1936, Page 5

DRAMATIC'SUICIDE

MAJOR SLAYS RIMSBLF W - TAXI,

INSURANCEPOLIGY ABOUT TO EXPIRE. CLAIM DN COMPANY FOR £43,000 (tf.fP.Av by EleoV Tel. Copyright). '.(Received Jiino 30, 7.45 pull.) LONDON, Juno 30.

Dramatic scenes iVhen Major Charles Rowlandson, aged 08, 00111'mittbd suicide i'n' a taxicab' welo recalled in the Xing’s Bench Division, when his niece, Mrs. do la Poer Refesford, on behalf of the creditors, sued tiro Royal Insurance Company for £43,000. Sir William Jowitt, for the plaintiff, said the company’s refusal to pay owing to suicide was unprecedented, except Mere a policy: contained a clause concerning suicide. The present refusal was due to' the company relying oil the doctrine of public policy. Ho explained that Rowlandson was wounded in the South African war, served in Ihe’ Great War and was invalided in 1918, after which he lost a fortune, in business. . Rowlandson insured in 192.5 for £BI,OOO and surrendered £30,000 whilst some loans farther reduced the remainder. The policy contained the usual clause' regarding noii-payment in the event of the insured committing suicide within a year,, hut Rowlandson died after the policy had been running ton years. He was unable, to pay the premium of £454 due to 16/6/34 and obtained extensions. until three o’clock on August 3. He vainly made an effort to raise the premium. When he received a refusal ef a further extension, the,insurance covered him fo* another 1-J- hours, in' which ho visited a solicitor and left a letter in which lie admitted he was technically defrauding the company. He added: “'What I am going to do takes courage,, but, if 1 go bankrupt, man' people who believe in me may sulfei terribly.” Rowlandson chartered a taxi-cab and. at between three -md four minutes to 3 o’clock, called the driver’s attention to the time and shot himself.

Sir W. Jowitt contended that although the coroner returned a verdict that Rowlandson feloniously committed suicide., later ..evidence suggested that Rowlandson was insane. He had . previously attempted- Vo commit suicide by. taking veronal.