SUICIDES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8811, 26 February 1892, Page 2

SUICIDES.

A very determined and shocking case of self-destruction took place at the police lock up, situated in Eden Terrace, about four a.m. on Friday, January 29. The s.clfsacrificed victim was a foreigner, named Frederick Zank, who had been arrested by Constables Haslett and Howell about* four o'clock in the morning, and locked up about an hour later, after having been searched, and everything taken from him but his clothes. About half-past six the two constables again visited him, finding him all right, but ho would nor, speak, except to ask for a drink of water. An hour later Constable Haslett was bringing Zank a cup of tea, but when he opened the door of the lock-up, he was surprised to see his prisoner hanging from the grating of the cell, with nothing on him but his undershirt. He had made a rope of his shirt, and hung or rather strangled himself with it. Zank had been arrested on a charge of stealing flowers and plants. lie had only recently been released from prison, having served a sentence of six months for stealing fencing from the Jewish cemetery. There were also other records against him. An inquest into the circumstances connected with the death of tho deceased was held that, afternoon at the Eden Vine Hotel, before Dr. l'hilson and a jury of six, of whom Mr. Davis was chosen foreman. After evidence had been given, the jury returned a verdict to the effect " That deceased had strangled himself while in tho cell at Eden Terrace, being at the time in a sane state of mind."

Quite a sensation was caused in Freeman's Bay on Thursday, Feb. 4, when it became known that James Hughes, a married man of 55 years of age, with a large grown-up family, had deliberately committed suicide by hanging himself over the lintel of a doorway in his house in Vernon-street. Deceased up till the time of his death was employed as a storeman in the firm of Messrs, A. Buckland and Sons, auctioneers, and although addicted to drink, had tho reputation of being a good workman. In the afternoon, at tho Freeman's Hotel, an inquest was held by the coroner, Dr. Philson, and a jury of si?:, of whom Mr. John M. Harrington was chosen foreman. The jury, after a short retirement, brought in a verdict to the effect that James Hughes came by his death by his own act, whilst temporarily insane owing to excessive drinking. Dr. Philson pointed out that if deceased had become insane through drink, he had done so by his own act. The jury then agreed to exclude the | words, "owing to excessive drinking" from the verdict.

James Sierck, a labourer on the Otago Central Railway, near Taieri Lake station, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor at eleven p.m. on January '2(1. Deceased appeared to have suffered great pain internally, and had exprossed a wish that Cod would take his life. Deceased was married, a native of Sweden, about 47 years of age, and had been in the colony some 20 years. Ho had no children. William Cook, storekeeper, of Northeast Valley, Dunedin, was found hanging in a closet early on January 2!). He had been in delicate health for some time, and leaves a wife and family.

An inquest was held at Nelson on Thursday afternoon, February 11, on John Rose age 23, a resident of Blenheim, who had been staying at Nelson. His body was found floating in six feet) of water in the Maitui River that morning. He was fully dressed. His legs were tied, and a piece of flax was round his neck, with a loop as if to hold a stone. His watch had stopped at eighteen minutes past seven. Ho was last seen by tho friends with whom he was staying at two o'clock on February 0. Ho complained of feeling dull. When 15years of age ho was in the Wellington Asylum for two years. A verdict of " Suicide while of unsound mind" was returned.

George Ollivcr, a single man, 50 years of age, employed as a gardener, committed suicide by throwing himself beforo an express train near Teuiuka. He died a few minutes after.