GRANITY TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1929, Page 6

GRANITY TRAGEDY

VERDICT OF SUICIDE. , An inquest concerning the death of Leonard James- Pfeiffer, who was found dead, with his throat cut, on Monday, was held at Granity on Tuesday, by Coroner E. It. Fox. x Evidence was: given to the effect that deceased was single, and a native of Devon. He was a candidate for ordination to the ministry, and was in charge of the Vicarage at Granity. He had been despondent recently, as illhealth rendered him unfit for and steps were being taken to enable him to return to England, in accordance with bis .expressed wish. Deceased was found dead in bis room at the boardinghouse where he had been staying for the last three weeks. His papers showed that he was very despondent, but gptfe no indication of any intention to commit suicide. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased conimitteed suicide by cutting bis throat with a razor, at Granity, on August 19, 1929, at the time lie was suffering from the after effects of war experiences and general breakdown. The Coroner, in giving his verdict, stated that the deceased’s war experiences had left him practically broken down and but; then the earthquake and his other troubles had caused him to lose faith in himself, and in a fit of despondency he had committed the rash act which terminated his life.