UNREQUITED LOVE.

Hastings Standard, Issue 68, 15 July 1896, Page 2

UNREQUITED LOVE.

A YOUNG MAN COMMITS SUICIDE.

A most painful sensation was caused throughout the town last evening when it was reported that a young fellow named Jack Curtis, well known and very popular amongst a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, had committed suicide at the Club Hotel, Woodville, by blowing out his brains. The deceased, though familarly known as Jack Curtis, bore the name of Reginald Blonberg, was well educated, with a good address, and is supposed to be of Scandinavian extraction. He has been employed at Pilmer's livery stables for over five years, both under the present proprietory and under Mr Olliver, who carried on the business before Mr Pilmer took it over, and has, by his unfailing courtesy and unobtrusive manners, earned for himself the respect of his employer, and the esteem of all who came in contact with him. Curtis, it appears, formed a violent attachment for a young lady resident in the district, whom he drove out with on two occasions, and though the poor fellow pressed his suit with her ardently, it is understood that she never gave him the slightest cause to expect her to marry him ; indeed 011 the last occasion of their being out together she told him delicately but firmly that she could not be his wife as she was engaged to another. This seems to have preyed upon his intellect and threw him into a great state of unrest. His feverishness and his wildness of speech has caused alarm to his friends over a week ago, and he was advised to change his quarters from the whare on the livery premises to more comfortable ones in Mr D. O'Reilly's hotel, which he did. Although in his ordinary conversation Curtis never gave any indication of mental abberation he was at irregular intervals overpowered Avith fits of despondency, and whilst under the influence of these fits he threatened his own life, that of the girl, and the man whom she was about to marry, A gentleman staying at the same hotel tried to soothe him with more or less effect, representing to him the folly of his talk and striving to sustain him through his affliction. The only ultimate effect of his efforts were that the unfortunate man's distorted intellect identified him with the cause of his troubles, and with putting the police to shoot him. On Friday last deceased went to Mr James Moroney and requested the loan of a revolver for the ostensible purpose of destroying a favorite dog which had got injured. Mr Moroney raised objections, but ultimately gave him the weapon, which he asked back from the deceased several times, the last occasion being on Monday evening, when he found him intending to leave for Woodville. Curtis also applied at Mr Eccles's chemist's shop for prussic acid, giving a similar reason, but Mr Wallace would not supply him, saying he would destroy the dog if it was brought round. Deceased, who complained of a slight cold, left here on Monday last, as he said " to spend a few days in Woodville in order to get rid of his coM " and nothing more was heard of him until Sergeant Mitchell received information of the suicide. It is rumoured that besides the love affair Curtis said there was another trouble, but he refused to say what it was. Deceased, though he was never actually drunk, was drinking pretty freely of late and for some time past, Mr O'Reilly had given instructions that he was not to be supplied with alcohohic drink. 011 the body of deceased was found a letter as follows : —■" July 13th, 1896. Please communicate with G. W. Mitchell, State School, Palmerston North. Kindly keep this as quiet as possible 011 account of my relatives. lam disgusted with life." The most profound sympathy is felt for the young lady whose name is so unfortunately mixed up in the tragedy, especially as she is acquitted of all blame in the matter and is highly respected in this town.