TRAGEDY ON STEAMER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20363, 18 September 1929, Page 14

TRAGEDY ON STEAMER.

DEATH OF AN ENGINEER.

SUICIDE WHILE DEPRESSED

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST,

A verdict that ho committed suicide by slabbing himself in I lie throat while temporarily insane was returned by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the inquest held yesterday into the death of Reginald Nicholas, second engineer of the steamer Tregonnell, whose death occurred on board the vessel in tho Rangi(oto Channel on Monday evening, after it had raced to port to obtain medical aid. Tho master of the vessel, Captain S. Richards, said that at eight o'clock on Sunday morning ho was called by the chief engineer to. tho deceased's cabin, where lie found deceased with a short wound in the sido of the throat. A blunt clasp-knife, covered with blood, was found near his right side. Nicholas was partly conscious and said he was very worried. Tho steamer was turned toward Auckland with a view to landing him.

For tho past two weeks Nicholas had shown signs of mental disturbance, and at times his conversation was very disjointed. In West port oil September .12 ho had complained to the captain of feeling unwell and said ho would like to go home, as tho work was getting on his nerves. Ho was advised to see a doctor and did so. He later said that tho doctor had prescribed for him and that if ho had a complete rest from tho engineroom for a week lie thought ho would be himself again. It was arranged that the chief engineer should take his placo for a week or ten days until he had quite recovered.

Deceased spoke to tho captain at 6 p.m. on Satui'day, asking whether ho should resume duty, as ho felt a little better, but ho was told that there was no hurry anrl that he could wait until he was fully recovered. Deceased was in conversation with the chief steward from 8 p.m. until 8.30 p.m. and presumably went to bed, as his light was extinguished, shortly afterwards. At 5.15 a.m. on Sunday tho messroom steward, seeing a light in deceased's room, prepared him a cup of tea. By the time ho took it into the room, however, tho light was out, and thinking that Nicholas was asleep again the steward took the tea away. At 7.45 the messroom steward went to call him for breakfast, and seeing blood on the bed called tho steward. Two letters, one addressed to his mother and one to his wife, wliiqh were found in a drawer, showed that he was greatly depressed. James Botham Metealf, chief engineer, said that Nicholas complained to him that ho was worried. He was a very quiet man, seldom speaking, and never entering into conversation with tho crew.