THE INQUEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXII, Issue 245, 22 October 1898, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

An inquest on the body of Thomas' i Hayton, whoso suicide on Thursday was ! recorded in our Inst issue, was held at Mr ' Moulder's icsidenco at Wakapuakn, jester ! day afternoon. Mr Ribinson. S.M., was " j the Coionor, an! the Jury. consisted of j Messrs J. li. A. Lyeli (fcraman), E. I>. i rainier, 11. J. Hobbs, 11. W. Stallard, \V. Pryor, and J Loveridge. Sergeant Mackay conduced 'he inquiry, mid called the following evideiico : — Dr Roberts deposed that on Thursday evening ho visited tbe shed in which the body of the <l"cens--d waa lying. On making a snperlici il examination he found a great deal of bleed on the r glit side of tl\e wni'tcoat. 'J'hia had trickled down into the pocke*. There was aa indentation on the back of the neck, hut there was uo external woumN. Blood was oozing from the month, nnd the lips and gums were blackened by powder. He could not examine 'he month further at the time owing to the post mortem rigidity. On making a further examination that day ho found that the roof of tbe mouth had heen blown away. He had not discovered any shots as he had no', been able to reach tho bo' torn of tho wound. The wound was sufficient, to bave caused dentil. Mary Hayton, wifo of deceased, stated that her husband rose about 6.80 on Thursday morning, milked tho cows, had his breakfast, and cut his dinner, which ho took with .him, together with a bottle of tea. As he went out of the door he said " goodbye." He wentrto work at a paddock about a mile distant. It was his cii3tom to tako his dinner when he went to work at this paddock. Housuallv returned about four o'clock, but on this occasion he did not come,. After a time witness became anxious and sent her son to see if deceased had gone te Moulder's, and told him that if ho was nofc there he was to go to the paddock. After a time witness followed the boy to the paddock. She heard him scream, and saw him running towards the road, where he met Mr Black and his son: When deceased left home he was in his usual health, and seemed very bright He hsd not always ! been in the habit of saying " Goodbye " but during tbe last three or four weeks he had been doing bo. During the last ' tw or three weeks, he had been rather ! despondent, in consequence of tbe drought, and consequent scarcity of feed, ' but he had not threatened to do away ' with himeelf, About two years ago de- ' ceased to.ok strychinne, He recovered * under treatment. He denied that he had ' taken the poison with intent to take his ! life. Deceased was in fair ciroumstanoes I * and witness knew no reason why he J 1

hould take his life. There had been no- I ibing suspicious in his manner of late I Thomas Edward Hafyton, the ten-year c >ld son of deceased, stated that on being tent by his mother to look for his father, le went to the paddock and called, t Hot getting an answer he open- t jd the door of tho shed. He then saw \ ais father with a rope round his neck t ind made fast to the roof of the shed, i He pushed the bady, but it was cold, i One knee was on a box, and tho other i Foot was on the ground. He ran into the ] road where ho saw Mr Blaok and his son. i John Fowler Black deposed that on 1 Thursday evening he was near the de- : ceased's paddock when the last witness i ran screaming " Dad " towards the road. : Witness and his father turned back and ; met the boy, who said his father had hanged himself in the shed. Witness ran to the shed where he saw the body of deceased hanging from the ceiling. Witness immediately cut the body down. He thought the toe3 of both feet were resting on a fruit case. He afterwards went to town and informed the Police of what had occurred. Sergt. Mackay gave evidence as to going with Dr Roberts to the shed and finding ths body. He produced the rope and gun. The right barrel of the gun showed signs of having been recently discharged. There was a fruit box on top of a case immediately imdor the piece of the rope that had been left hanging A string with a large loop in it was attached to the trigger. Ho also found a piece of paper, saturated with blood in tbe right waistcoat pocket. A great deal of the writing was obliterated but three persons who had subjected it to a critical examination had made out the following from it : — * — d by my dear wife my dear little boys your kindest friend —the money for the boy— yourself— cannot stand it any longer I have done with everybody now I cannot rough it goodbye to all. Your loving huaband. T. HAYTON. Ihe portions represented by blanks were not decipherable. He had the body removed to Mr Moulder's honse. This closed the evidence, and after a brief consultation, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide by shooting himself whilst temporarily insane.