SUICIDES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8669, 11 September 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

SUICIDES.

DEATH OF MR. J. AITKEN CONNELL. The little township of Riverhead was thrown into a state of surprise and consternation early on Friday, Aug. 21, owing to the death of Mr. J. Aitken Connell, the well-known Auckland land agent and surveyor, under circumstances of a very distressing and deplorable character. _ Tho unfortunate man was found dead in the bedroom occupied by him at Deacon's Hotel, having a bullet wound above his right ear, and a revolver was picked up lying on the ground close by him. Ib appears that owing to instructions received from the Government Survey Office, Air. Connell, in company with four assistants (Messrs. Jordan, Maxwell, Shaw, and Flynn), left Auckland for Riverhead in tho little steamer Planet about half-past three p.m. 011 August 20 for the purpose of carrying out certain surveys in the locality required by the department. Nothing of a nature to attract special attention was noticed by the party in the deceased's manner or behaviour during the trip, and they arrived at Kiverhead shortly after six o'clock in the evening. As tho work to be done was likely to extend over some weeks, the party intended to form a camp, but as the tent could not well be erected 011 the evening of the arrival, they pub up at Deacon's Hotel for the night. At about ten o'clock Mr. Connell came over to the bar, and handed two letters to Mr. Deacon, one of which was for his wife, and the other was addressed to a bank at Wanganui. He asked that these might be forwarded to Auckland on the following morning. Mr. Connell was asked if he would join the others in a drink before going to bed, but he refused, saying that ho did not care to take y anything just then. After asking that breakfast should be ready half-an-hour earlier than usual, he retired to his room, and his example was soon followed by the others. Nothing occurred to attract any special notice until about a s quarter to five in the morning, when a sound like a bang was heard, or as Mr. Maxwell expressed it, lie hoard something like a click, followed by the sound as of a body falling. However, as none of the party had the slightest suspicion that all was not well, 110 notice was taken of this little incident, in fact, it was concluded that it was nothing more than a door slamming. When breakfast was sorved it was noticed that Mr. Connell did not appear, and, therefore, one of those connected with tho establishment, Mr. Lockett, went to his room to see if he required anything, and on seeing what had happened, he gave the alarm forthwith. The.deceased gentleman was found partly hanging over the edge of the bed, quite dead. Tho revolver had evidently been fired by the right hand, the bullet wound being about two inches above the right ear. The bullet had evidently lodged in the brain, as it had not reached the other side of the head. The circumstances were at once communicated to the police officer in charge of tho district, Constable O'Brien, who immediately wired to Inspector Broham, from whom a reply was received, giving the constable instructions to make the necessary inquiries, and to arrange for holding an inquest. The survey party, of course, broke up, and Messrs. Jordan and Maxwell returned to town on August 21. In addition to the facts mentioned above, Mr. Jordan stated that there appeared nothing unusual in the deceased's manner. He noticed nothing to lead him to conclude that Mr. Connell had any rash act in contemplation. Deceased pointed out various places of interest to those around him on the trip up, and questioned Mr. Jordan closely and intelligently as to the nature of the country to be surveyed, as that gentleman had some previous experience of the place. Mr. Connell was brought up and educated in Glasgow. He arrived in Auckland in ISOB, and after a few years' residence in this place he proceeded to Duuediu, where, for about twenty years, he carried on a large business us land agent and surveyor, during which time he successfully carried out several extensive survey contracts in connection with the Provincial Governments of Canterbury and Otago. He eventually disposed of his interest in this business, which was afterwards formed into the Perpetual Trustees Company. Mr. Connell returned to Auckland about seven years ago, and carried on business on the same lines as lie had done at Dunedin. He took a deep interest in all public affairs, and at the last general election but one he contested the Eden electorate in opposition to the Hon. Edwin Mitchelson, ljjjit was defeated, notwithstanding the great determination with which he carried out the contest. Many of those who knew him well are of opinion that ever since that election contest he has nob been the same man, although it would be difficult to point out exactly in what he had altered. At the time of his death ho was about fifty years of age, and leaves a wife and nine children to mourn the loss of a kind husband and thoughtful father. The inquest on the body of the late J. Aitken Connell was conducted by Mr. Robert Sinclair, J.P., of Kaupapakapa, on August 22. After hearing the evidence, which was simply a repetition of the narrative already published above, the jury returned a verdict that deceased came by his death by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. The post mortem was made by Dr. Gault, of Ilelcnsville. He found a bullet wound on the right side of the head two inches from the ear, the hair around being singed. The bullet had

passed through the skull and lodged in the base, the skull being fractured in two places—one fracture being five inches and the other three inches in length. After the inquest, the relatives took charge of the body, and the funeral took place privately at the Purewa cemetery on August 23.

SAD OCCURRENCE AT DEVONPORT. An occurrence of a very painful and distressing character took place early on the 3lst August, at the residence of Mr. George Ford Hill, situated in Beach Road, Devonport. Mrs. Mary Anne Hill, the wife of George F. Hill, was found prostrate on the floor in one of the back rooms, with a frightful gash in her throat, and a severe wound on her left arm. An ordinary whitehandled table-knife, with which the wound had to all appearance been inflicted, was found close by in a pool of blood. It appears that the unfortunate woman went to bed on the 30th August about ton p.m., none of the family noticing anything in hotmanner or appearance to excite any alarm for her safety.. It is true she was somewhat restless, but she had been ailing for some time past. Miss Florence Hill, her daughter, slept in the same bed with her. Nothing of an exceptional nature was noticed until about three o'clock the following morning, when Mrs. Hill, juri., was awakened by the baby, and, on getting up, found her mother-in-law walking up and down her room. She was, however, induced to get back into bed. and the others also returned to their beds. At about four o'clock a sound was heard, similar to that which would be caused by someone falling. Mrs. Hill the younger immediately gob up, and proceeded to the room in which the old lady had slept, and seeing that she was'not in bed, went in search of her. On entering the backroom she found the old lady upon the floor as described above. The alarm was immediately given, and Mr. George Hill hastened to the scene, and after doing everything possible for the comfort of the injured woman, he proceeded in all haste to inform the police and to obtain medical assistance. She was conveyed to town in; the 6.30 a.m. boat, accompanied by the doctor, Sergeant Kelly, and her son, and from thence to the Hospital. The house surgeon stated that the case was a very.serious one, but still there were some hopes of recovery. The unfortunate woman is about 61 years of age. She has been suffering for some twelve years past from a painful disease in the face, which greatly disfigured her, and which her medical attendant had informed her was cancer.

Early on September 8 Mrs. Hill died at the District Hospital. An inquest was held at the Hospital at half-past two in the afternoon, before Dr. Philson, coroner, and a jury of six, of whom William Henry Chenoweth was chosen foreman, when the jury returned a verdict to the effect " That deceased had committed suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind." ' ,

SUICIDE AT PARNELL. . On September 1, shortly after noon, an old man, a fish hawker, named John Ford, was found by his wife to have committed suicide in his bedroom, by hanging; himself: lie resided off Selwyn Terrace, ' Parnell.

The following are tho particulars, so far as they can bo ascertained : —Ford, who was well known in the district, has been latterly a great sufferer from rheumatism, being ill for nine weeks, and had been pretty well confined to his bed, and was in consequence in a despondent frame of mind., At half past seven o'clock Mrs. Ford went away to work at Sirs. O'Brion's, Manukau Road, leaving her husband in bed. On going away ho called her back and bade her good-bye, as was his custom, leaving three children at home with him. Shortly after noon, one "of tho daughters, Anna Ford, came to Mrs. O'Brien's and said her father was worse, and that he wished mother to come home. Mrs. Ford thereupon went home, and on entering her bedroom found her husband hanging to a staple on tho wall, having hung himself with a clothes line. The staple was about six feet from the ground, and his toes were on tho ground. She gave the alarm, and a man named Edward Pierce and other neighbours came to her aid. Tho body was still warm, but life was extinct. Dr. Mackellar was sent for, and was soon in attendance, but his services of course were of 110 avail. Constable Hobson also in ado the necessary inquiries. Deceased left the following letter in pencil, addressed to his wife :—

My Dear Wife, —When you get this note I will bo no more. Poverty and ill-health caused me to commit the rash act.' I. tried to work yesterday, but could not. I have brought trouble enough on you. That landlady said I was at work, and I was not. I have brought you just Is (id in eight weeks, so good-bye, and God bless you, and may God have mercy on me.

An inquest was held on September 2 at the usual hour at the Exchange Hotel, Parnoil, by Dr. Philson, coroner, and a jury of six. After hearing tho evidence, which threw no fresh light on tho matter, tho jury returned a verdict, "Found dead, hanging by the neck."

It became known about six p.m. on September 4 that Richard Walsh, an assistant bailiff of the Resident Magistrate's Court, had shot himself at his residence in Newton Road, and the circumstance excited a good . deal of surprise. Richard Walsh, who was about 41 years of age, has been for the last seven or eight years a bailiff of the Resident Magistrate's Court, having come hero from Wellington. He lived by himself in a house in Newton Road at. the corner of Regent-street, but lie had actually commenced to remove to another house in Mount Eden Road, when he apparently terminated his own life. At about six p.m. on Friday, September 4, Evaline Catitoll, aged 14, daughter of Mr. R. Cantell, .who resides opposite the dwelling occupied by the deceased, heard two shots fired, and she ran in anil told her father, and just about the same time Miss Rogers, who resides close by, came on tho verandah. A curious circumstance is that prior to the shots being heard about fifteen minutes before, a boy canio to Mr. Roger's house and delivered a letter which he Said Mr. Walsh had sent. It was addressed to Miss Rogers and was written in pencil on a broken piece of paper. It said, " Will you kindly stop Annie from coming inside the house, tonight, as her .'father will be a corpsc when she arives. (Signed) R. Wai.sii." The signature is somewhat broken, and there seemed to be an endeavour to get it into a cramped space on the scrap of paper. When the letter was delivered Miss Rogers showed it to her father, who, with Mr. Cantell, went across to tho house occupied by Walsh, but. they did not go in, and Cantell went to the police station and informed Sergeant Bernard. On going into the sitting-room the police found Mr. Walsh lying on his left side, dead. His feet were on the floor, and there was a pool of blood under his head. There was a bullet wound over his right temple, but the bullet had not come out, and a bull - dog revolver was on the floor near his feet. It had been loaded in three chambers, and two of them had been discharged, the second bullet being traced through the window where it grazed the window sash in its passage. A messenger was sent for Dr. Gird lor, who after an examination said that death was instantaneous. The deceased leaves five children. His wife died some three or four months ago, and ho has been somewhat distressed since. He had received a summons to appear at the Police Court the following week on a charge of failing to contribute to the support of his mother, and this seems to have been the motive for the rash act. The deceased was an enthusiastic draughts player, and among, the letters left behind him one is addressed to the secretary of the local club, as follows : — " Dear * Charlie, — I am going to solve the problem—Eternity, the Great Unknown. Good-bye." An inquest on the body was hold on Sept. 5 at the King's Arms Hotel, Upper Queen-street. After hearing the evidence of Ernest Slade, Dr. Girdlcr, Richard Cantell, James Walsh, and Sergeant Bernard, the jury returned a verdict to the effect "That the deceased had committed suicide by shooting himself during temporary insanity." Robert Burgess, a young man, and son of a dairy farmer near Johnsonville, shot himself through the head with a breechloader on August 22. He had breakfast with the family at seven a.m., but retired before it was over and committed the deed. A newspaper which ho took with him to read happened to contain a report of Aitken Council's suicide, and it is supposed the unfortunate young man was prompted by this to follow his example, as a gun ready loaded was in the room. An old man, named Charles Francis Bachelor, from Selwyn, stayed at the house of W. Stubbs, Bankside, Canterbury, on August 20. Next morning lie was found ill in a whare, and died at one p.m. He purchased "Rough on Rats" at Rakaia on August 20, and the box, which had been opened, was found in his pocket. He is supposed to have committed suicide.