WAYWARD BOY’S END

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 9

WAYWARD BOY’S END

HANGED HIMSELF AFTER SCOLDING FROM HIS MOTHER. A deserved scolding from his mother was the only reason which could be adduced for tne suicide of Eric Booth, a ooy of fourteen-, of Ashton (Eng.), at the inquest recently. Airs Samuel Booth explained that she received a letter addressed to the boy from Air Robert McKnight, secretary to tho Hurst Brook Co-operative So-, ciety. This letter was from tho British Clothing Company, and showed by a card that her son had paid 2s deposit on a watch. When the boy returned home she asked him what he wanted a watch for when he had one. He replied that ho had seen an advertisement, and had sent up for it. He TOLD HER HE HAD SAVED THE ■MONEY, but she was afraid he had been taking it, and told him she would tell his father. The boy went out to play cricket, and the next that was heard of him was that ho had hung himself in the slaughterhouse belonging to the Co-operative Sociey. He left a note which ran:— . "I put all the blame on father and mother for not giving me more spending money. What can a boy do on twopence a week? Might have given me a penny in tho shilling. (Signed) -E. BOOTH.” The Coroner pointed out that the mother’s remonstrance was a proper one; she had a right to know where tho 3s had come from. The jury returned a verdict of ''Suicide,", adding that the bay was insane at the time.