SUICIDES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10752, 13 May 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

SUICIDES.

Isfoematiok has been received that Mr. Edwin Draper, aged 52 years, cut his throat with a butcher's knife near Pahautanni .on May 6. Particulars of tho suicide showed that'lie got up at four o'clock in the morning, sharpened a number of knives, and cut his throat in several places with four of them. He died in two hours. Deceased leaves a widow and six children. He had been in a melancholy state for some time. Information was received on May 7 of the death by hanging of a man named Henry Shaw at Driving Creek. An inquest was subsequently held by Captain Swindley, coroner. The deceased was a widower, 54 years of age, and was a native of Liverpool. He had been 40 years in the colony. The verdict was that the deceased committed suicide whilst temporarily insane.

A man named Thomas Hancock, employedab Lewis' Hotel, Te Awamutd,<«)muritted suicide on April 19. He was found suspended from a rafter in a building at the back of tho hotel. At the inquest the verdict returned was to the effect that the de-? ceased had committed suicide by hanging, whilst in a-stato of temporary insanity. The coroner, D. T. M. Philson, held'an inquest on Saturday, April 16, at the Eden Vine Hotel with regard to .the death of, Mary Ann Codling, who committed suicide' on Friday afternoon by cutting her throat with a pocket-knife. ; It appears that the deceased had been in a poor state of health for the last two months, and had lately suffered from fits, during which period she was heard to threaten that she would cut her throat. On Friday afternoon, Mrs. Bowe, daughter of Mrs. Codling, seeing that her mother was again sufferingrronra- - fit,removed everything of a dangerous nature out of .sight, and went to fetch her father, Elijah Codling. On- their return, they ■'found that Mrs. Codling had cut her throat.": la .the room where they' found deceased was a-pocket-knife, covered with blood, a' lookingglass, stool, and basin..:lt seems that the deceased placed the basin on the stool, cat iter threat, and then watched herself Heed to death, allowing j the blood to run into the basin. Dr. Roberton, who had.of late •attended Mrs. Codling, was quickly communicated with, but when he'anived conH inly pronounce life to be>extinct.''; Constable the scene. The> jury returned a verdict to t]je^e|^-.-4h^vdecea^ei^h^«cpfflm]tJ».d.