RASH SUCIDE AT WAKEFIELD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 50, 14 March 1903, Page 2

RASH SUCIDE AT WAKEFIELD.

A MAN NAMED RAWCLIFFE POISONS HIMSELF. DRINK SUPPOSED TO BE THE CAUSE. A mart named W. S. . Rawclifle, who leaves; a widow and family in England, committed suicide ati Chul : ch Valley, by poisoning himself yesterday afternoon with carbolic acid. It appears from the information available the unfortunate man had been drinking for some time past,, and had evidently suffered from delirium tremens. On Sunday last he was under tlie delusion that the detectives were after him and hid himself in some manuka scrub. The matter was rei orted ta the police, and Constable Knapp went and saw Rawclifle, who seemed quite rational, and walked along home with the constable. Drs Pearless and Hamilton, fia well as deceased's man-ser-vant and several neighbours had been looking after him, and during tlie last dasy or two deceased appeared to be improving considerably as no drinkihad been taken for a week. The man-servant, thinking that his master wasi perfectly right went away hop-picking, and in the servant's absehce> Mawcliffe committed the rash act at his home. If? is not known , whether deceased has any relatives in the colony, although it is known he possessed plenty of money. Iti is stated that, deceased was at' one time employed in the Defence Department at Wellington. An inquest will be held oh the body at ten o'clock to-morrow morning.