SELF-DESTRUCTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 214, 7 September 1905, Page 2

SELF-DESTRUCTION.

P.-esi Association. Electric Telegraph Copyright. AucKt-AND, September 6. A determined suicide has occurred at Helensville. A farm laborer named Duncan, who had been in ill-health for some time, shot himself. He went into ati-tree, taking his employer's shot gun, which he placed over his hearty and pushed the trigger with a stick The affair was discovered when deceased was missed and a search was instituted. At the inquest a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane .was given. Deceased had relatives in England. Further information respecting the i man reported to have shot himself near Helen's Valley is to the effect that the victim was Robert N. Duncan, who had been employed on Fordyce's farm for about six years, bub recently had become too ill to do anything but very light jobs, and was practically kept on out of charity. This no doubt made him depressed. On Monday morning he was missed from the house, and Fordyco searched for him. Duncan was found lying dead in a ti-tree. At the inquest a letter was produced, iin deceased's hand-writing, showing that he had premeditated the rash act.