SUICIDES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11533, 24 December 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

SUICIDES.

Ok the morning of December 5, at New Plymouth, Mr. A. J. Collins, on going to the Recreation Grounds for the purpose of having a bath, found the body of a man lying face downwards in the lower lake of the grounds. He at once communicated with the police, who had the body removed to the morgue, where it was identified by the custodian of the Old Men's Refuge (Mr. T. P. Lister), as the body of John Chorley, one of the inmates. Evidence was given by Mr. Lister (custodian of the Home), who slated that he saw the deceased on the previous evening, about nine o'clock, deceased saying that as it was a fine night he would walk about for a while. He appeared to be in the same spirits as usual, and slept in h's bed. Evidence by some of the inmates shows that deceased had made up his mind to leave the place, and had even given «>vfr some of his clothes and other things, between his mates, and at five o'clock on the morning of the deed he gave a half-stick of tobacco to one of the inmates, saying he was going away. Evidence was also put in, and letters from one of the inmates, by Mr. Mynott. The letters were detained by the "coroner. After the coroner's summing up, the jury, after a deliberation, returned the following verdict:"That the deceased committed suicide by drowning m the Recreation Ground lake, while temporarily insane." The jury added a rider to the effect that an inquiry ought to be held as to the serious charges made by some of the witnesses with respect to the conduct of the Old Men's Home.

News has been received that a young man named John Thomas shot himself on Archdeacon Williams' Te Aute station. He is dead.