SUICIDE IN HIS CELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19557, 9 February 1927, Page 16

SUICIDE IN HIS CELL.

PRISONER TAKES LIFE.

FOUND HANGING BY BELT.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ]

CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday,

An inmate of the Paparua prison, Eric John Barlow, committed suicide in his cell by hanging. Barlow was all right at 12 o'clock when a warder passed his cell. An hour later when the warder returned he found Barlow hanging by his waistbelt from the top of the window. He was cut down immediately and medical aid was called, but ho was then dead. Barlow was sentenced to three years' reformative detention at Dunedin on December 7 for assault causing actual bodily harm. He had never complained of his treatment while in prison. He was under the impression that he was suffering from organic trouble, but this was a delusion. An inquest was held by Mr. H. A. Young, coroner. William Thomas Leggett, superintendent of the Paparua prison, said Barlow had been in a mental hospital, but had never given any indication that he would commit suicide. The waist strap with which ho had hanged himself was an official issue to all prisoners. Barlow left nothing in writing. In the morning he wrote iv letter to his mother, hut he did not mention anything about taking hi 3 own life. A relative who had visited the deceased on Saturday stated that Barlow had said he would commit suicide, but the witness had not taken him seriously, as he had heard the same remark on previous ccaflions. , Barlow had mner complained of his treatment during the time he had been in prison. A verdict was returned of suicide by hanging while temporarily insane. The coroner added that Barlow had been properly treated by tho authorities! during the time he was in prison.