ROMANTIC SUICIDE IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

ROMANTIC SUICIDE IN LONDON.

The Cdwraerfor East Middlesex has held an inquest" at Hackney,* relative to the death of Mr. John Muirhead, aged 22, a commercial clerk, who shot himself under somewhat romantic -circumstances.. Mr. John Muirhead; "57," Benthall Road, Clapton, wholaboured under great emotion, stated that ((Bei deceased was his son, bat witness had not observed anything strange of late in his conduct." Witness' had never heard him threaten to commit suicide, and he was aWays" of sober habits. Mr. vVilliam Clayton, 35, Eldc-rfield ftoad, , said that about seven o'clock in the evening he was in the Median Road, when he met Mr. Trye, and he "accompanied that gentleman into his house.. Mr. Trye then told witness that his children. were going *to a ball, and asked witness to stay with him for a while. Mr. Trye then went upstairs to see his children start, and directly afterwards witness heard a'report of firearms, followed by a loud shriek. . Mr. Trye then called,out to witness, and, ou running upstairs,, said, " Muirhead has shot himself." Witness then went down the steps and saw blood flowing from the deceased, and he at once sent off for the doctor and Chief Inspector Jamieson. . Mr. Robert Bedford, 3, Apsley Terrace, Richmond, stated he was a bank clerk. He was at Mr. Trye's "house on the evening of the occurrence, and was leaving there in company with Miss Trye to go to a dance. He had got down the steps o£ the front door' , when he saw some one, who turned out to be "young Mr. Muirhead, pass by, and directly afterwards he heard the report of a pistol. On turning round witness saw Mr. Muirhead on the ground, and at once picked hfci up, and rested him against his knees. By tne Coroner: It was understood that witness was engaged to Mise Trye, and he knew that the deceased had once been paying bis addresses to her. Witness had only known tho young lady a fortnight that day. H'e could not speak to her handwriting. He believed deceased had given Miss Trye a ring. Mr. James Try*, 29, Median Road, Clapton, stated that he (lid not see the deceased on the day prior to the time when he shot himself. It was with his consent that his daughter was engaged to Mr. Bedford ; but' the worst part of it was that now-a-days they'did not ask. His daughter, who was going to the dance with Mr. Bedford, was too, ill to.be present that day, and the letter produced was in her handwriting. He did not; know that his daughter waa once engaged to the deceased. On the night in question, whilst standing at his door, witneea saw the deceased standing at the bottom of the steps, and, as: his daughter and Mr. Bedford were getting into the carriage, he fired at his own head. He did not 'see the .deceased point the pistol at anyone else, but saw him point it at himself and fire. :He fell directly he fired.;. Had never neard Mt. Muirhead threaten to take hia own life. Chief Inspector Jamieson, N. ■_ Division, stated that he, was called to 29, Median Rop.d, and found the deceased lying on the footway in a pool of blood. He searched, and found underneath the body a.. revolver ; four of the chambers were loaded, and the fifth had beW;; but. recently discharged. Upon ..the body witness found a box containing, fortyfive, cartridges, a ring, and several letters ; bat there, was nothing in any of the latter bearing on the intention of the young man to., take his' life. Mr. Arthur Gooch, 69, Benthall Road, stated he knew young Mr. Muirhead, and last saw him alive on the Sunday evening previous to ; the occurrence. ; He was then apparently in his usual health. ' Muirhead had: been employed at Messrs. j fijggins,. Eagle, and Company, CannonstSreet.'and witnessf-, had seen one of the partners that morning, who: bad given the deceased a high oharaoter. That gentleman further;'stated that a day or two previous he oiOticed Muirhaad appeared to be very muoh disturbed in his mind. From what he conld witness believed that the young man mUat have lost the balance of his mind when himself. The Thursday previous Mnirjiead went with Miss Trye to a theatre, Emma Trye, "about twelve years of age, stated that, whilst seeing her sister off, she saw"Mr.'; Muirhead put the pistol to Ms bead," and'she screamed out. Mr. Frank Turner, "eni.'geon, stated that when he was called to f tbe young man-he was dead. The casuse ,o£'death, was a pistol shot wound in tbfethroat,' which divided the jugular vein. I The'. C6roiier, *in .summing np, x said, he ; wpuia first read them the letters which had j.»lpeacly lieen referred to. The first one was 'as.'.fojfcvvß, and was in the handwriting, of ihe~deceaseid:—"Dear Loo,—l have unforI tunately:go t another taste of-, my despairing fit,'and thifli tame it is going to take tangible foon, for! a»l soon as I can square things a ittttl intend to enlist in some cavalry regi-. «be»t. „ At /present • I am afraid I am bnt .litfle-;better than a enrse to myself, and to. nn'wSkJ'tiibw me. Try to forget that yon fcnaw snob, an unfortunate as Jaok iMnlriKiad, or if you .cannot quite do that my better qualities, if I have any. ; X 'dare' pot trust myself to see' you again, 'arid ijfc la better t'nat I should not do so, for .a meeting would only cause me more pauCandit ia as muoh as I can bear now. t^ia;'better that I should go—it has been foßy'on my part all along, and folly for ,wb3ch_ ; lie,Ta likely to pay a bitter price. I ! mp&~3m&' myself .to blame. Loo, I can; force myself to finish this, but I jmnsfc." So/wishing you every-happiness in lifiß,,.good-bye.—Yours, Jack." The next letter was from Miss Trye :—" Dear Jack,— I jbope. "yoa. will forgive me for what I am golng'to aay.. I wish, to break off our engagement... I find,if, is impossible for me to keep myjjromJse ;. therefore it is better to tell-you afrance. < I don't like to trust your ring- in a" 'JeTOr,"" ao Bill -will call at your office tojnxoiFpy with it. . Good-bye, Jack! I hope ;yda- (Vj&l. forgive me any pain I have given yoo^'' Believe me, it is muoh better for both 'if.'.Us).','Yoa will, get on much better withod&#ny one to bother you. Of course it is abeVa-d to talk about being friends, but Bito/old like to hearhow you got on. Wish3h#j; you every happinese and prosperity, "befjievq'me, your sincere friend, Loo." The tb/ird letter was as follows :—" London, Deofjmber W., -Miss L. K. Trye.—Mddlle,— J. write to ask you to grant me the favour of 'an interview, which shall not on tny part be of nrore than five minutes'duration. Of cttorbe it '•is quite witbin your right to re'fuse, but I trust yon will not do so. I need not t/all'you at what hour I am disengaged. AwarrtAns; a reply, I am, yours truly, J. !M?oXbhzai>. ,! The. Coroner added that he * hadalao received a letter from a medical man . certifying that Miss Trye'was too ill to be , present that day. . The jury,' after a short deliberation, returned a verdict that "The deceased committed suicide whilst Buffering nAder temporary insanity."