A RASH ACT.

NZ Truth, Issue 407, 12 April 1913, Page 7

A RASH ACT.

Determined to Die. McLaren's Tragic Ending. The* fact was communicated to the Lambtori-quay Police Station on' Wednesday night that a man named Robert McLaren, residing at a boardinghouse at the top of Plimmer's -Steps had disap-. peared from his room, ,aiyl that the circumstances were characterised by peculiar features. •"' Upon investigation and search of the room occupied by the man, A BLOOD-STxiINED POCKET KNIFE was discovered, also : blood, on the 'floor. Another point was' that, if the man had left the building,' he had done so barefooted, as his boots were found, whilst all hisf'wearing apparel was- missing. Although, search was' made, nothing was traced of ' : McLaren until 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon, when his body was found floating , in the harbor opposite M shed at the Queen's Wharf. > Deceased had evidently "endeavored to transit to the Great Beyond per medium of a sev-ered-windpipe, but as, the knife was apparently too blunt to accomplish the performance of that feat; he decided upon taking his life by • drowning. When the body was taken from the water it was found that there was a deep incision across the neck. . .'" McLaren,^ who is a ; native -of Scotland, and has only "been a short time, m the Dominion, was aged about 35 years. No reason is assigned for the rash act, except that deceased had experienced illhealth for some time past, and, having also' suffered-frnm insomnia, it is thought that these; failings preyed on, his ; mind, i t An inquest will be held at the Courthouse -on Saturday morning at 11 o'clock. V ■.'. ■ .. : ■-■■■■■■ •;■■