THE SUICIDE AT HELENSVILLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10417, 15 April 1897, Page 3

THE SUICIDE AT HELENSVILLE

CORONER'S INQUEST. An inquest was held at Waimauku on April 12, before Mr. J. J. Reynolds, J.P., deputycoroner, and a jury of six, Mr. W. Ryall Forsbroke foreman, on the body of Alexander McDonald, who died through taking strychnine. Susan McDonald, wife of the deceased, deposed that her husband had been to Auckland a few days previous, and on Sunday he seemed very strange in his manner and very restless. About six p.m. he came into the house and lay down on the bed. She was putting her children to bed at the time. He called her into the bedroom and asked her to send their eldest child, a boy of six and a-half years of age, for a Mr. Hayward, who lived close by, as he, deceased, was going to die. Seeing he looked unwell, she sat down beside the bed, never thinking he had taken poison, or done anything to injure himself, and said, " Oh, nonsense, you are only light-headed." He replied, "I am not. lam going to die, I have taken strychnine." She at once got a small bottle of ipecacuanha wine and gave him, which he drank. It took no effect on him, and he said, "It is too late; it is too late," He then asked her to kiss him, and also for his fire little children to kiss. Her eldest child had gone for Mr. Hayward. While he was away deceased had three fits. He threw up his hands and gave a scream, or very loud moan. Mr. Hayward then came and gave remedies without any effect). She did nob know of any poison being in the place. She was quite sure he was not in his right mind on the Sunday. She pub down the cause of his committing the deed to mental worry and anxiety, caused through business losses and his having been drinking the day before. Henry Hayward gave evidence that he had gone to deceased'i bouse when asked, but he gradually got worse, and his last words were, " I have taken poison ; it is too late." Edward Kelly gave evidence that deceased had borrowed strychnine from him several months ago, and had never returned id. The jury were of opinion a post mortem examination was not necessary, and returned a verdict that deceased died through taking poison while in an unsound elate of mind.—[Own Correspondent.]