INVERCAKGILL TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13724, 14 April 1908, Page 5

INVERCAKGILL TRAGEDY.

i ANOTHER DEATH. CONCLUSION OF THE INQUEST. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Lvvercargill, Monday. Another of the victims of the Crinanstreet tragedy., which took place on Tuesday night last., succumbed yesterday, in the person of the baby. The child Phyllis shows a slight improvement, and is conscious at time?. The inquest was concluded this evening. Archibald McLean, city missionary, said he had daily opportunities of observing Baxter's relations with his family, and he would say that they were a very happy family. Baxter was not hasty tempered, and witness had never heard angry words from him. Baxter was ill for about a month. Dr. Ewart described the wounds of the victims, and added that insane people were liable to impulses which might sometimes be of such force as to be irresistible. There might or might not be signs of intellectual aberration. The chief feature of the disorder was an impulse to destroy, an it might not. be controlled by the person. George McCarter, employed in Baxter's shop and nursery, said that on the Monday preceding the tragedy Baxter was pole and very quiet, and seemed in a low and weak state. He had seemed depressed for about a fortnight. At eight p.m. on Tuesday (the night of the tragedy) witness went to Baxter's house for instructions. He sawMrs, Baxter, who took his message to Baxter, and said that her husband's head was bad. Margaret Mcßobie, who had nursed Mrs. Baxter through a recent illness, said that Baxter was kind to his family, but for a fortnight before witness left the bouse he had been complaining of pains in the head. Witness thought him far from. sane. He would lie in bed all day, out for part of the day, and then come home and go to bed. During this fortnight he seemed miserable and ate little. One night he took a bottle of laudanum from witness' room, .-aid when asked to return it he said the bottle was broken. The jury found that J"«mes Reid Baxter committed suicide while suffering from impulsive insanity, and that the other victims met their death at his hands while lie was so suffering. The police were specially commended for their action in dealing with the emergency.