SUICIDE AT KILBIRNIE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1164, 22 June 1894, Page 26

SUICIDE AT KILBIRNIE.

An old man named Jabez Bradbury, aged 56 years, committed suicide at KUbirnie on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased resided at Kilbirnie with his wife and family, and early yesterday afternoon was visited by one of his married daughters, Mrs Kennedy, accompanied by her little girl, aged 4 years. The child went into the garden to ask hei grandfather to como into dinner, and not finding him she went into an old shed at tho bottom of the garden, and there found him hanging from tho ceiling. She called her mother, who at once cut the body down. Dr Alexander and Constable Carroll were sent for, and they arrived soon after. The body was not then cold, and the doctor tried for half an hour to restore animation with artificial respiration, but without success. The body of the deceased was taken to the Kilbirnie Hotel by Constable Carroll. Mrs Bradbury was very much distressed at the death of her husband.

Mrs Kennedy states that her father had been despondent for some time, but he was not in any financial difficulties. An inquest was held at the Kilbirnie Hotel Wednesday afternoon, before Mr J. Ashcroft, Coroner, and a jury, of which Mr H. D. Crawford was foreman. The evidence of Mary Kennedy, daughter of the deceased, was that she found her father hanging by a rope attached to the cow-bail. His feet were just off the ground, and a stool, which had been kicked over, was lying a short distance off. She did not know that her father had any trouble; he had property, and was not in any want. He met with' an accident about two years ago by falling out of a springcart, and since then had fallen off a cartload of hay into the road. Lately he had seemed not to be himself, and often said that people shunned him. Dr Alexander stated that a fall, even so long ago as a year or two, might have affected the mental condition of the deceased. The jury returned a verdict of " Suicide by hanging while temporarily insane."