SUICIDE AT CEMETERY BRIDGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11625, 12 April 1901, Page 5

SUICIDE AT CEMETERY BRIDGE.

A YOUNG MAN JUMPS OFF. Yesterday morning the b«dy of a young man, whoso name 'was then unknown, was found under the Cemetery Bridge, by Mr. Edwin B. E. Turner, fruiterer, on the eastern side of the bridge. It was lying directly under the highest part of the bridge and several of the branches of the tra;v close by were broken, but singularly'enough, the dead man had no external injuries beyond a few bruises. There was no,appearance of a- struggle. He was fully dressed, and from his clothing appeared to be a fireman or sailor. Mr. Turner rang up the Newton Police Station, and Constable Williams, who was temporarily in charge there, proceeded to the scene of the tragedy, accompanied by Constables Johnson and Ramsey, and removed the body to the morgue. On searching the body, a paper was found in his* pocket, a receipt from Messrs Court Brothers' establishment, Karangahape Road, foi clothing purchased on the 9th inst. A purse was found with lis 8d in it. On the back of the account were the following words:—"Good-bye to the world, for I am William." ■'

An inquest was held by Mr. Gresham, coroner, at the Waitemata Hotel, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Turner deposed to the circumstance under which he found the body. The man appeared to have gone down straight from the bridge. Ed. Shearer Bullen, assistant at Court Bros'. establishment, identified the body as that I of a man who came to Court Bros', premises, in the forenoon of Tuesday last, and purchased some clothing, for which he got a receipted bill. Constable Williams gave evidence as to searching the body, finding the bill, and endorsed what had been said as to the message on the back of it. Dr. Sharman said that the deceased was about 27 years of age. By direction of the coroner he 'had examined the body, which was perfectly rigid, but the neck gave indications of being dislocated, which in his opinion, was the cause of death. There were no indications of violence. Then jury returned a verdict to the effect " That, deceased (name unknown) had committed suicide, whilst in a state of temporary insanity. _ At a later hour the police succeeded in getting the body of the deceased identified by Mr. Elijah Codlin, as his son, Win. Jas. Codlin, aged 22. Deceased arrived from th© country about March 14 last, where he had been at work for two or three years past. He had been staying with his sister, Mrs. Rowe, Upper Queen-street, since he had been in town, and had been despondent of late. Deceased left his home on Wednesday morning, but no one saw him leave the house. .