A STRANGE SUICIDE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10240, 24 December 1894, Page 3

A STRANGE SUICIDE.

Robert J. S. Todd, accountant in the Government Insurance daoßrtmeut, committed suicide on the 6th iust. The uews caused a Bensatiou. He was the officer selected with Mr H. Kember to inquire into thu Public Trust system of bookkeeping during the session. Inquiries ware beiug made tor him to sigu some paper before his departure for Sydney on sis weeks' leave, asid it was ascertained that about 1 p.m. he had blown his brains out at his lodgings in Thorndou. It is believed that be was going to Sydney to get married. It was his brother who shot himself in Dunedin in March last; aud, inexplicable as that suicide was, the present is still more startling. So far as is known at preßont, no reason can. be assigned for the act. Todd was a single, man, about 33 years of age. Shortly before 1 o'clock he went into the bathroom, undressed himself, and then returned to his bedroom. About 1 o'clock the report of a shot wan heard, and on a fellow lodger proceeding to Todd'a room he found him lyiag on his back on the bed with all his clothes off. There was a towel round his waist. At his side was a doublebarrelled gun, one barrel of which had been discharged. The left side of the head and face were blown clean avrsj, but Todd was still

breathing, and he did not expire until 25 minutes after tho shot had been, fire I. Deceased was well known and hi{<ialy renyecte'l. At the inqueit Me R. G. Thomas (a fellow-lodger),' Inspector Fender, Mr Somervilla (brother-in-law), Mr Wm. Hudson (secretary Government Insurance department), aud Dr Jauiea ware examined. The evidence adduced showed that deceased had been driuking lately, and the night before he committed the do«d he had to be assisted to bed, _ Very little drink aft'scted him, and he had in fact not been himself for the past mouth. The coroner istotari he had Been a letter from a youn^ Udy ia Victoria, to whom deceased was engaged, and whom he was about to visit, aud it contained nothing bub ordiuaty lady's chit-chat and concluded with a hope that they would soon meet. It wns clearly shown thufc though Todd dcack occasionally he was not a drunkard in the ordinary seuss of the term, and there was no reason to suppose he ws.s in difficulties. Nothing at all was adduced to whiuh i;o attribute the rash act, and his relation declared there was no lunacy in the family. Mr Hudson said so far as the department was concerned deceased's un*uces were quite iv order. A verdict of suicide while teu - uorarily insane was returned. Deceased's life was insured for £1200.