JUMPED TO DEATH

Grey River Argus, 28 September 1934, Page 8

JUMPED TO DEATH

Unemployed Man IN PRESENCE OF FIANCEE. AUCKLAND, September 26. How Alexander Henry Shaw, aged 35, of Dicvonport, unemployed commercial' traveller, jumped tO' his death from the end of the ferry tee, on the evening of September 6th, was told at the inquest conducted by Mr W. R. McKean. Eileen Wainhouse, stenographer and fiancee of the dead man, said that on September 6th, she met Shaw about five o’clock Deceased appeared to be worried, and was very much depressed. Iler aim in talking to him was to cheer him up. They went to a hotel lounge, where he had /three or four whiskies, but he still appeared to bo worried and depressed. “We went to catch the boat to Devonport, but it had gone, and we sat talking on 'the ferry tee, ” said Miss Wainhouse. Aboujt 6 15, deceased stood up. He did not say anything, but made a peculiar throat-clearing noise, and walked towards the edge of the tee. I thought he was going to bo sick. All I remember after that is seeing him go over the edge of the tee. Then T heard a splash. I did not see him again.” Miss Wainhouse explained that Shaw had boon out of work since the end of June. The discovery of Shaw’s body flowing face downwards under the wharf, was described by a constable. The Coroner returned a verdicr that Shaw’s death 1 was due to drowning. There did noth appear to be any obvious reason why Shaw should have taken his life, except he seemed to he worried because he was unemployed.