SENSATIONAL SUICIDE AT NAPIER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9714, 9 January 1895, Page 5

SENSATIONAL SUICIDE AT NAPIER.

PRUSSIC ACID POISONING. [BY TELEGRAPH. ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Tuesday A most sensational suicide occurred here this afternoon. George Howard, aged 33, one of the partners in a, concern known as the Anglo-American Soap Company, having its head-quarters here, being the victim. He had formerly as partner George Duncan of the Survey Office here, bub the partnership was dissolved three months ago. Detective Kirby arrested Howard to-day on a charge of forging Duncan's name to two cheques for small amounts. Howard, who was in bed in an hotel at the Spit, dressed and accompanied the detective in a cab to town, appearing to take the affair very nonchalantly, smoking and chatting affably all the way. Just outside the police station Detective Kirby got out of the cab, and on turning round saw that Howard had a small blue bottle to his lips. Detective Kirby dashed the bottle to tho ground, and struck Howard a smart blow on the back of the neck with the result bhab a quantity of the liquid in his mouth was snot out. He examined the bottle, and found that it had a portion of a prussic acid label on it. In the meantime Dr. Moore, who resiidos close by, was sent for, and arrived within five minutes. Howard, however, was then in a state of coma, and despite the restorative measures died in about two hours. On searching him at the station another full Dottle of prussic acid was found upon him. He was a widower, but leaves two daughters aged nine and seven. Little is known of him here, where he has resided about a year; bub ib is understood that ho came from America. It was known that ho was in financial difficulties. He had been on a severe drinking bout, and it is surmised thab he went to bed at the hotel with & view of caking the poison tiiero.