SUICIDES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 31

SUICIDES.

An inquest was held on Wednesday (May 15) at Eangiwahia concerning the death of W. J. Harris, the son of Mr Joseph Harris, of Marton. It appears, reports the Advocate, that the young man, who was 24 years of age, Avas of rather a sensitive turn of mind. He had got into financial difficulties, not at all of a grave character, but which appears to have affected him much more than it would have most young men. It is stated that

there was another cause affecting his peace of mind, namely, an unreciprocated love affair. While in rather a troubled state of mind, induced by one or the other or both these causes, he went to „ Birmingham, and there with a young man named Ludlow Birch, as witness, purchased two drachms of strychnine from the chemist for the ostensible purpose of poisoning dogs. He took the poison back to Bangiwahia, and there committed suicide by taking a portion of it. The verdict of the jury was that he had committed suicide while of unsound mind. By Telegraph. —Own Correspondent. Masterton, May 16. The body of a man named Frederick Monk, who has been running saloon here for some months, was'found about noon to-day suspended by the neck to a beam above the door in his bodfOom. The man, who was about 40 years of age, went to bed about 10 o’clock last night and was apparently sober and in his right mind. As Monk did not get up, the door was burst in about 12 o’clock, and the body was found as above stated. No motive has yet been assigned for the rash act, but it is supposed the man had been drinking. An inquest was opened before the Coroner, Mr Hutchison, this afternoon, but was adjourned till Saturday.