THE WESTERN PARK SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11953, 30 April 1902, Page 5

THE WESTERN PARK SUICIDE.

A PATHETIC LETTER. An inquest was hold at the Criterion Hotel yesterday before Mr. T. Grosham, coroner, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Edmund Bell, of Melford-strcot, Ponsonby, the finding of whoso body, with tho head blown off, in the Western Park on Monday afternoon, was reported in yesterday's Herald.

Harold Emile McKinnell deposed that ho was in tho park about half-past two on Monday afternoon and passed deceased on one of the footpaths. He identified him by his clothing. Witness noticed nothing unusual in deceased's bearing or demeanour. About a quarter of an hour after seeing him witness heard ft very loud report and thought it indicated some blasting operation in the neighbourhood. Then a. Mr. John Fletcher called witness and showed him the deceased lying on the grass behind a bush in a gully. The head was completely blown off, as were tho two forefingers of the right hand. Witness remained by the body until the caretaker and Constable Sttinyor arrived on the scene. Corroborative evidence was given by John Fletcher, labourer.

James Leith, caretaker of the Western Park, deposed to hearing an ui?nma"y lead explosion about ten minutes *, three. Shortly afterwards the witness Fletcher took him to the scene of the tragedy, and he went for the polioe. Witness found on the deceased the following letter, addressed to the latter'* wife:—"Dear Annie,—l think I am mad. My troubles are more than I can stand, and I see no future for me. Those who should have helped me did not do so, or this might not have happened. T think you will cot on letter without me. It is an awful thing I am doing: forgive mo. if you can. (Signed) Edmund Br.it." Witness handed this letter to the police. John Bell, son of the deceased, deposed that he saw his father on the previous mornins; at the watermen's steps, where be had a boat. Later he saw him again in front of the Now Zealand Insurance buildings, Deceased's family had noticed nothing unusual .in his manner of late. lie had been out of work for some time and was hard up and this seemed to worry him. There were six children (three boys and three girls) in deceased's family, ranging in ago from 13 to 26. Witness had never heard of his father threatening to take his life. Witness and deceased had recently worked at Rangitoto, where blasting was carried on, but not by them. He could not say where deceased had obtained a. blasting charge. Deceased was 68 years old and was a native of Gal way. Formal evidence as to the finding Of the body anil of the letter produced was given by Constable Stanyot. The jury returned a verdict loathe effect that deceased committed suicide by means of some explosive material, he being at the time mentally deranged,