SUICIDE OF A POSTMASTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13716, 9 November 1906, Page 3 (Supplement)

SUICIDE OF A POSTMASTER.

(Fnoir Our Owk Cohkespondbht.) ) WELLINGTON, November 7. , Mr Bart Chitty Dean, postmaster at Palmorston South, who was admitted to a private hospital here yesterday, was found with his throat cut this morning. Ho had been on sick leave, and last evening entered the private hospital for treatment. At 6,3o.this morning he appeared to bo all right, and took a cup' of tea, but at 7.20 ho was found dead as stated. Ho was about 54 years of age. An inquest was held in tho afternoon before Mr Ashcroft. Dr Boyd deposed that he was called to a prihospital in Willis street about 8 o'clock this morning. In an upstairs bodroom ho found deceased dead, death .having occurred a few minutes prior to witness being called in. Deceased's throat was cut, all the blood vessels having been severed. An open pen-knife was lying in a basin, which contained a quantity of blood, and witness was of opinion that tho • wound on the throat was inflicted with tho knife. Nurse Lucas gavo evidence to tho. effect that deceased was a patient at the private hospital. He entered tho institution last evening for rest, and appeared to be a lii-tlc- depressed. This morning one of tho other nurses and witness visited him. Ho was given water to wash in, and a quarter of an hour afterwards was found lying in a pool of blood on the floor. >Scvcral doctors were summoned, and they pronounced lifo to 1)0 extinct.—Richard Henry Edwards, J.P., said ho had known deceased from a lad at Launceston. About five years ago ho was in tho Wellington Post Office, and recently was postmasier at Palmorston South. He was a steady, sober man, and came up hero on the advice of a doctor for a rest. His head troubled him. Ho stayed with witness prior to entering tho private hospital. Witness had to call in Dr Henry to seo him. Deceased was not rational. He seemed as if he would do what ho had done, if left alone. The doctor recommended him to go into tho hospital.—Dr Henry said when he examined deceased he had no reason to suppose that there was anything wrong with him mentally.—Another witness deposed that deceased had recently suffered from an affection of the head. The jury returned a verdict of suicido while temporarily insane.