Suicide at Wanganui.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7714, 7 December 1903, Page 5

Suicide at Wanganui.

A. Medical Man Shoots Himself

(.Press Association.) "Wasgasui. December 6.

Dr Barnard, a well-known local medical man, committed suicide this morning by shootiDg himself.

The deceased unt with a bicycle acc'dent during the week anJ was confined to his bed.

At 5 o'clock this morning, a noise, as of a chair falling, was heard in his bedroom, and immediately afterwards the doctor ru?hed out and bounded down the stairs, firing two shots from a revolver and -screaming meantime. He then rushed on thelawn and shot himself dead through thehpad. Wanganui, December 1.

A verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned at the inquest of Dr Barnard.

The Chronicle states that Dr Barnard was severely injnred by a fall from hisbicycle on Tuesday eveniDg last. He was taken to hi* r°sidence, Campbellstreet and pnt ip bf-d. where be remained until hid fatal resolat on. The doc.tor's housekeeper looked iato his room at one o'clock yesterday inernine, and found him awake. In rep'y go inquiries he stfua'l that ho did not require anything, Rnd. there being nothing to lead her to think that mstters were otherwise than could be desired, she returned to bed. At five o'clock she was awakened by a sound as of a chair falling in the doctor's room, and immediately afterwards Dr Barnard rushpd out, and jumped, rather than ran. downstairs. At the Top of the stairs he fired a shot from a revolver, and again mi reaching the bottom. He then rushed on to the lawn. And. turning the weapon .upon liimi«lf, shot himself above the ris^ht ear Mr Gcville Sannders. iriio was thp only other ocrupaut of the hou-e in addition to the housekeeper, hastened outside on hearing the reports, and found the doctor layiugon the lawn. Dr Pocritt was immediately summoned, but on arrival pronounced life to be extinct, death having apparently been instantaneous. The police were then communicated with, and the body removed indoors. Examination proved that only one bullet had entered the body. The other two were found embedded in the ■woodwork. No reason can be assigned, for the act. save that the accident had produced insanity. Dr Barnard had complained on the previous day that his head was troublesome.