HAVELOCK NEWS

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume IV, Issue 374, 24 February 1882, Page 2

HAVELOCK NEWS

CORONER’S INQUEST

[FROM OUR OWN CORItESI’ONDKNT.]

All inquest was held at the house of the late Richard Taylor touching his death, which occurred on Tuesday morning, Feb. • 21st, before John Allen, Esq., Coroner, and the following j ury :—Alexander Brown ; (foreman). H. L. N. Clark, O. 15. Jarvis, ; J. Wheadou, C. F. Horton, H. A. .McShane G. Greig, A. E. Hyde, W. S. Greigg, H. N. Firth, L. Watts, J. Newtli. j

Julia Taylor deposed : lam daughter of deceased. On the morning of February Ist, about 6 o f clock he called me, I went to him in the shed, when he said, “ That woman will drive me mad ” ; he referred to his wife. He spoke to me about some money which lie had put away for ray brother William, and said that rather than his wife should get it lie would die first. He iias been married about six weeks and they have been at home tiie whole time, but I

have never heard them quarrel. He told me he would put au end to himself; he did not appear right. I begged him not to, and he said he would go away to Wanganui ; he then had no knife or gun in Ids hand. I did not think he would destroy liimselff as lie said he would not. I was with him iu the shed tiie whole time this conversation lasted. He then went into the house and afterwards went out to milk. After that lie went upstairs to his wife who was not well, having a headache, and took her up her breakfast. He was excited, and said if she knew where the money was she would take it all and leave me penniless. I thought he was not right, lie had previously shown me where the money was. lie said “D her,” referring to his wife, I thought he had gone after this conversation to Mr Wheadon’s fa neighbor.) When .1 heard the gun fired off 1 thought of what he had told me, and f then went out to the shed and saw hi n lying on his hack, lie said, “Oh dear !” The gun was standing against the bench. lam sure he was dead when I came away. He was not moved until the police arrived, Mr Levion arrived in the afternoon, but no registered doctor was brought from Havelock.

John Taylor, son of deceased, stated: He saw his father about fi.tin. on the 21st, who milked the cows and fed the pigs, and had his breakfast about 8 a.n\ lie appeare l jolly and made no complaint. Knew nothing of the fatal occurrence until apprised of it by the last witness. 1 saw him lying in the shed and went for Mr Whcidon. My brother William was at Mr Greig’s. That was the gun (produced) a double-barrelled one. 1. left tuy father where he was lying. My brother William went to Havelock for the doctor and Sergeant of Police. Everything appeared comfortable at home, and to the best of my mind, he had been all right. Had never heard him threaten to destroy himself. James Slattery, Sergeant of Police, stationed at Havelock, said : About a quarter to 10 on February 21st, William Taylor reported to me that his father Pad shot himself in the breast with a loaded gun. I immediately started for the scene. Saw deceased lying on his back in the shed at the hack of the house. He was dead. The shirt was all shattered. Did not strip the body as T expected a medical man would arrive. About an hour after Mr Levion came, we then found he had a large wound iu the breast. Took possession of the gun found—the left barrel was recently discharged, and the right barrel loaded, which 1. withdrew (contents produced). Deceased had his boots and ordinary clothing on. Had him removed into the house. Mr Taylor called my attention to certain property concealed under the floor in a tin-ease containing 1100 sovereigns and a will (produced) dated August, 1 S7">. His son took possession of the money. Charles Scot* - , a duly qualified medical practitioner stated he had examined the hodj' of deceased, had known him 11 years, found the fifth and sixth ribs fractured on the left side over the region of the heart, opened the chest and found the heart torn to pieces, examined the back and found pellets of shot. Death was caused by a gun shot wound, and must have been instantaneous.

Kmma Taylor, wife of deceased, stated : Saw him on the morning of February 21st between fi and (i lie got up. Me brought up my breakfast ; he had made no complaint. I have been married about six weeks and have been home all tlie time. .My husband has been very low spirited for the past 8 weeks ; money matters appeared to have been the cause. Last Sunday lie appeared very much out of sorts. I never heard deceased threaten to destroy himself. There was nothing about his conduct that would lead me to imagine he would. Deceased appeared better on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday morning he told me he was going to shoot a dog that had been destroying a chicken. Did not see him medlingwith the gun on Monday. Did not hear the report of the gun on the 21st. Heard the children crying. They did not come to my room. No one came to tell me about it. I heard the son John crying. T put my head out of the bedroom window and asked what waf the matter. lln told me his father had shot himself, f came down and went to the shed. I examined deceased. Tim body was warm and bleeding from the chest. Tie did not speak. 1 never saw the gun in the shed. T left the body lying where it was, and remained there until Sergt. Slattery came, deceased never moved after I saw him. Walter Taylor : Am son of deceased: Saw my father on Monday, the day before his death. 1 saw him with his own gun in his hand on Monday morning. He was then in the house. He put the gun against his breast and shoved the t rigger with a stick. He was cleaning his gun. I was close to him he told me to go away inside. The gun was not loaded. Did not sav anything to my father. It was a rirnn stick, a small one—a piece I had out for firewood. Did not go away. Father hung the gun up. The stick wasburntthatmorning. Havonothcard my father threaten to destroy himself. Did not know what he was doing with the piece i of wood, or why lie was pushing the trigger . with it. It was about as long as the gun ;

barrel. Heard my father say he was going to shoot a dog that day. Did not see my father load his gun. It is kept in the kitchen, and he put it back in its usual place. This concluded the evidence, and after the Coroner had addressed the jury, they returned a verdict to the effect, “ that the deceased, Richard Taylor, shot himself while in a state of temporary insanity."