INQUEST HELD

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 150, 9 June 1933, Page 7

INQUEST HELD

DEATH OF WILLIAM RAMSAY.

VERDICT OF SUICIDE RETURNED

At the Hastings Courthouse this morning an inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Ramsay, whose body was found in the quarry at Paki Paki early yesterday morning. Mr F. C. Wilkins?* 1 , J.P., acted as Coroner and presided over the following jury:—Messrs H. G. Parker, F. Young,’ J. M. R. Lochhead and S. H. Knight. ‘Sergeant G. F, Bonisch conducted the proceedings on behalf of the Police. Thomas Ramsay, brother of the deceased, gave evidence of identification. He stated that it was two years since he had seen of communicated with his brother, and he knew nothing of his financial position. William MacDonald, an employee at the quarry, said that Ramsay was in charge. Upon his return from Hastings on, Wednesday evening the deceased appeared in his usual health and spirits. He played crib until about 8 o’clock, when he went to bed. Witness was first up the following morning and called Ramsay and another man named Charles Drummond, but Ramsay did not answer so the others had their breakfast. They then went to the quarry’, where Drummond found the body. Witness knew that the deceased had taken a few days’ off from Friday to Wednesday and stayed in Hastings. He was a jovial man by nature and witness knew of no reason why he should commit suicide. The deceased knew where the key was kept of the shed where the gelignite was stored. Apparently the deceased had had trouble in lighting the fuse, for there were a number of used matches lying about.

lo the Coroner: Witness said that since the deceased’s death he had learnt that accounts that should have been paid by the deceased last November had not been paid by him. These debts amounted to £5O or £6O. Witness had been given to understand that these accounts, which related to contracts, had been paid monthly. The deceased had often represented to witness that he had £BOO in the bank, and that he had other money out at interest. Witness had no reason to doubt these statements at the time, but now he believed they were untrue. The deceased did not appear to bo worrying over the matter.

Charles Drummond, who was also associated with Ramsay and the previous witness, gave similar evidence leading up to the discovery of the body. To the Coroner,'he said that it was impossible for those in the whare to hear the explosion. To the foreman, witness said that there was not the slightest indication that the deceased was worrying about anything upon his return from Hastinys.

Constable E. J. Gibbs said that he was called to the Paki Paki lime works and was informed by the manager that a man named William Ramsay had committed suicide. Witness described the position of the body in the quarry and said that the tips of the fingers of the right hand, and the upper part of the left arm were badly shattered and there were extensive wounds on the head. The injuries were consistent with those caused by the explosion of a charge. of gelignite. Witness was of the opinion that it was a case of suicide. There was no note left by the deceased to indicate that he contemplated such an act. Everything in the deceased’s room appeared to be in order.

The jury returned a verdict of death from injuries self-inflicted.