A SOUTHLAND STATION.

NZ Truth, Issue 407, 12 April 1913, Page 6

A SOUTHLAND STATION.

What Happened to Hazlett? Strange Scene at an Inqnest. Invincible . Invercarglll, the beerless, cheerless city m the southern extremity, of New Zealand, has awakened from its somnolent condition and provided the people of these isles with a sensational suicide and unusual evidence at the subsequent inquest. - ( After Hhe recent floods, a ; body (with the throat cut) was found on Mataura Island, and - THE IDENTITY- OF THE DECEASED was established by a local "gum-digger" who.had m his possession a cast of the dead "man's -(William Hazlett's) teeth, which were most uniquely and peculiarly placed. .'■■;■• " - ■ ' Dr. Baird,- of "Wyridham, gave evideniie. to the effect that it was possible that the severing of the windpipe was the result of the man's own handiwork; while it was possible, though, improbable, that deceased had closed t and replaced the knife m his pocket after committing the deed. Samuel Hazlett said he accompanied his brother to-the Mataura river, as the latter desired to bathe his feet, about which he" complained of being sore. Wftness went -to sleep, and, on waking up, discovered that William had jumped into the water. Witness jumped m after him, iut could not'effect a rescue. He noticed that his brother's throat was cut. The most sensational part of the tragedy is that Samuel did not report the matter for some days, and, after tellinp a man named Colin Gerrard, Sam went to the Christchurch races. In a recent Police Court prosecution deceased had given evidence against Gerrard. ' While giving his evidence the witness GOT ALARMINGLY EXCITED and emotional, and,' on one occasion, had to be forcibly removed from.the box. Gerrard deposed to Samuel informing him of his brother's aeath, but he treated the story as a concoction. Other evidence was led to show that deceased was mentally perturbed over a pending prosecution.for perjury; and that he had declared a man was better dead than mixed up m such cases. A verdict was returned by the Coroner that deceased died .of .a wound, self-in-flicted, when m a state of mental depression. ■ •