POULTRY-FARMER'S DEATH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20422, 26 November 1929, Page 9

POULTRY-FARMER'S DEATH.

BODY IN BURNED HOME.

VERDICT AT THE INQUEST.

A verdict of suicide was returned by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at an inquest held at Swanson into the death of George Frederick Thurgood, aged 70, poultry-farmer, whose body was found in tho ruins of his home in O'Neill's Road, Swanson, which was destroyed by fire last Friday. Edwin Sydney McFadden said that he saw- the fire shortly before noon, " He burst open a side-door, but could not enter owing to the amount of smoke in the building. All one side of the house was on fire, and he threw water on the flames without effect. After the building collapsed lie found the body in the ruins with parts of a double-barreled shotgun lying near it. Henry Waklin, farmer, said that deceased had been in ill-health and had complained of pains, stating that ho thought lie had cancer. Deceased told him on Thursday evening that a chemist had said lie. was unable to do anything for him. Ho added: "A man might as well be dead as to suffer as T am suffering."

Further evidence was given that deceased was separated from his wife, and had two children living at Pokako. Portion of a cartridge was found in the breach of one barrel of tho shotgun and the trigger had been released. A letter addressed to the polico, which was found in deceased's incubator-house, stated: "I am just a 'broke' old man—'broke* with poultry-farming. _ Tho only tbint; is to make an end of it." Deceased indicated his intention of cromating himself and left instructions in tho event of insurance money being received for this to be paid to a crippled Son.