Accidents and Fatalities.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8144, 24 July 1906, Page 8

Accidents and Fatalities.

A fcj&tV Suicide.

(Pex- Pres3 Association!

CHKISTCHURCH, July 23,

Further details of the tragedy at Governor's Bay on Saturday evening show that Pope, who is the father of six little girls, committed suicide by blowing his head off with a double barrelled gun. The tragedy took place in the presence of his fourteen-year-old daughter, Annie. On Saturday afternoon he went shooting on the Cashmere Hills and returned home in the evening. He missed his wife -who had gone out to look for him, and reached home before her, and being »et at the door by his_ little daughter Annie, asked the child where her mother was. The girl replied that her mother was out, and he then said that he wanted to say "good bye" as he was going to shoot himself. He walked to the end of the house and the little girl saw him put the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and press the trigger with the toe of his boot. The charge exploded, shattering the skull and blowing his brains out. The little girl was horrified and rushed down the road and met her mother co ming in. Meanwhile the neighbours, attracted by the report of the gun hurried to the house and found the man lying dead. The child said her father did not seem the worse for

liquor. About two years ago Pope fell out of a cart and sustained injuries to his head. He frequently attempted to commit suicide and on " one occasion, while he was under the influence of drink, he made an attempt to shoot himself, but failed, the shot going tlirouah the roof of the house. An mquest was held at Lyttelton this afternoon, at which a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned.