TRAGIC SUICIDE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1191, 28 December 1894, Page 41

TRAGIC SUICIDE.

ME EOBEET J. S. TODD SHOOTS HIMSELF.

A tragic suicide occurred at a private boarding-house on Thorndon quay on December 6, when Mr Eobert John Stewart Todd, well known as accountant of the Government Insurance Department, committed suicide by blowing out his brains with a shot gun. The deceased, who had not been out of the house all the morning, went intothe bath-

room about a quarter to 1 o'clock, after which he went into his own room and laid down on the bed with only a towel round his loins. Just at 1 o'clock Mr E. G. Thomas, until lately De-puty-Eegiatrar of the Supreme Court, who boarded at the same establishment, heard the explosion of a gun upstairs, and went up to see what was the matter. When he entered Mr Todd's, bedroom a fearful sight presented itself. The unfortunate young man was lying on the bed, with a big hole blown in the skull, the brains and blood being scattered all over the room and even on the ceiling. The gun, an ordinary double-barrelled breechloader, contained one full cartridge and one which had evidently just been discharged. The weapon had been placed between his legs, and the right arm was extended down towards the trigger, while the left hand held the gun a little below the muzzle. The charge had entered the head on the left side of the nose, and blown away the whole of the left side of the skull.

Mr Thomas at once telephoned for Inspestor Pender, who, on arrival, found to his great surprise that despite the fearful injuries deceased had inflicted on himself he was still breathing. Dr James, who was then telephoned for, came almost immediately, but the unfortunate man had expired exactly 25 minutes after the shot was fired.

Deceased, who was about 33 years of age and a native of Belfast, came out to New Zealand with his parents in 1880 in the same boat by which Mr Morris Pox, Actuary of the Government Insurance Department, was a passenger. He shortly afterwards entered the Government Insurance Department, in which during Ihe past six years he has carried out the duties of accountant in a most satisfactory manner. He was unmarried, but was engaged to be married to a lady in Victoria, and having obtained six weeks' leave of absence, had booked his passage by the Talune, which left for Sydney shortly after he commit! ed suicide. That his financial affairs were in a satisfactory condition is shown by the fact that on Wednesday he drew some cheques on the Colonial Bank and paid some accounts, but he had been drinking heavily of late, and it is conjectured that that had unhinged his mind. His brother, Mr Henry Todd i blew out his brains at Blueskin, Otago, last Easter.

The adjourned enquiry was held before Mr Ashcroft, Coroner, and a jury, of which Mr J. Dealy was foreman, in the Magistrate's Court on December 8.

llees ° Goring- Thomas, until lately Deputy-Registrar of the Supreme Court, described the circumstances of the suicide, as already reported. On Thursday morning he seemed to be iu a dazed condition. A telephone message, which witness received, came to deceased during the morni. ing that he was to call at the Government

Insurance Offices before leaving Wellington. When informed of the message deceased'replied ■"■ All right." To Inspector Pender : When his brother took his life last Easter deceased seemed very milch affected by it. Deceased had not been himself for the past month. Deceased had always seemed to witness to bo »a man easily led. Ho had told witness he was going to Australia to see the lady he was engaged to. The Coroner said he had read a letter from the young lady referred to. It contained nothing but the ordinary young lady's chit-chat, and concluded by expressing a hope that they would meet soon.

Dr James also gave evidence. Inspector Pender stated that there was no reason to suppose he was in any difficulty, and although he drank occasionally he was- not what could be called a drunkard. He was very excitable. There was no money found on him nor in the room, but there was a cheque book showing that ho had drawn several cheques that week. An empty purse was found in the room. George Charles Summerell, brother-in-law of the deceased, said he last saw him on Wednesday afternoon about 4 o'clock. * He was then in good health and spirits, and said he intended to have a good time in Australia. He said his finances were all right, and that by the time he re- ; turned to New Zealand they would be very satisfactory. He was certain deceased's engagement was not broken off; in fact, he was going to Australia to see his fiancee. Since his brother's death he had not been the same man as before. As far as he knew there was absolutely no insanity in the family. The gun which deceased shot himself with belonged to Mr Morris Fox, but had been in his possession for some time. Eobert Campbell Niven, clerk in the Government Insurance Department, Wellington, said deceased was not irritable—in factj he was quite the reverse. As far as .the department was concerned deceased's "finances were quite correct. He saw deceased at his house on Thursday morning -between 11.30 and 12 o'clock. He had gone to deceased with a message from the secretary that he was to be sure and call >on the secretary before, he left by the steamer to discuss some matters which they had been speaking of the day previously. There was nothing in the message likely to excite him, and he said he would do as requested. William B. Hudson, Secretary of the Government Insurance Department, said the matter he wished to discuss with the deceased was merely the furnishing t>f a ■monthly report, and need not have given him any concern. His accounts were quite correct; he did not handle the cash. "The jury returned a verdict of suicide during temporary insanity. • The remains of • the deceased were interred in the Karori Cemetery on Saturday morning. The funeral left the residence of Mr G. C. Summerell, Majoribanks street, about 9 o'clock, and, despite the short notice, there was a large number of mourners present, amongst whom, besides the immediate relatives of the deceased, were many officers of the Government Insurance Department. The first carriage contained Messrs J. H. Richardson (Commissioner), D. M. Luckie (Assistant Commissioner), W. B. Hudson (Secretary) and Mr Morris Pox (Actuary), and in the second were Mr Leslie (Assistant Actuary) and other officers of the department. The Rev T. H. Sprott officiated at the grave.