DETERMINED ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 5

DETERMINED ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.

POISON 'AND FIVE BULLET WOUNDS.,

CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY MANAGER. [BI TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Waihi, Monday. Mb. P. Boteb, manager of the Waihi Cooperative Society, furnished the ' people of Waihi with a sensation on Saturday night. He made a most determined attempt on his life, first, according to his own statement, by taking strychnine, and subsequently with a revolver.

It seems that a meeting of the trustees of the society was to have been held on Friday night, but as the upshot of an interview between Mr. Boyer and the chairman (Mr. Dundas) the meeting was adjourned at the ormer's request until the ! following evening, Mr, ;> Boyer intimating [that he would be unable to attend on the [Friday night. .

On his arrival at the business . premises of the society, in Upper Seddon-street, shortly before nine o'clock, the hour fixed for Saturday night's meeting, Mr. Dundas found j. letter in the office from the mana!ger, addressed to himself. "Hastily opening and perusing it, he gathered from the contents that the writer intended committing micide, and that the keys of the safe [would be found in his pocket, in the cart- [ shed .behind the store. Mr. Dundas at once made his way to the shed, where he found Boyer stretched out on the floor with a small revolver beside him, and blood flowing from several wounds, evidently inflicted by the weapon, a "toy" revolver of seven chambers. , Examination' showed that six. of the chambers had been loaded, and of these five had been discharged.

Sergeant McKinnon, of the police force, was immediately summoned, and on his arrival Mr. Boyer was removed to the private hospital of Drs. Robertson and Craig. The medical men found bullet wounds behind the right ear, in the left ear, the forehead, and the body (2). There were also indications that poison had been taken.

Mr. Boyer, during one of his periods of consciousness, was , questioned on the point, and is said, to have admitted taking a quantity of strychnine.- . He states that after having swallowed the poison he had thrown away the package in which it was contained, and then went to the cartsbed, where he shot, himself. If Mr. Boyer's statement; with regard to the strychnine be correct, it is thought that he must have I taken an overdose, which would serve to i defeat the end to which St was used. The j poison should, however, have produced j vomiting, of which little or no trace was [found.

Mr. Boyer, who is a married man, with a family, was in a very low state during Sunday, and frequently lapsed into unconsciousness, but has shown improvement today. ,

Though it will be impossible for a day. or two to say whether Mr. Boyer will pull through, or, succumb to his self-inflicted injuries, the medical ; men hold out some hope for his recovery.

With regard, to the Co-operative Society, one of the trustees informed your , representative that at a meeting of trustees and the committee, held to-day, it was decided to engage a certificated accountant to thoroughly investigate the books and the position .the society generally.