THE AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13874, 11 April 1907, Page 7

THE AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

SUICIDE OF HENRY CURNOW,

THE INQUEST.

(Per United Pkebs Associatioh.T

'■ ;■' AUCKLAND, April Id,' An inquest was held to-day into the ' circumstances attending the tragic death Henry Curnow, late manager.of tho Wnnngarci branch of tho Bank of Now * Zealand, who shot himself with a revolver yesterday morning-. ■ Dγ Jones deposed that.'the cause of death' ' was injury to tlie brain, the'result of a bullet wound. Frederick John Oxley, traveller, said he-, heard -the report, but took no notico of ' it until a young lady rushad round and , told hirn a nmn had shot himself. Witness quickly arrived- on tlie scene, but deceased was then'dead. . "Ada Laura, Curnow, wife of tlie deceased, deposed that for the Inst three weoks her . husband appeared very despondent. She thought ho was worried about his work. Ho was on his way to the head office in Wellington. Ho had on one occasion threatened to take his life. In reply to * the coroner witness said hqr husband's life \va,s uninsured. During the whole'of tho voyage from Whangarei ho paced up and ' down tho deck, , G. P. de Castro, 'brother-in-law of tho docaased, stated that Mr Bucklcton. the manager of tho Bank of Now Zealand, wont up to tho house yesterday and stated that. if Ciirnow left' Whan- ■ garei to go to Wellington on bank business ho could not have been in his right'mind, as ho must have known that it meant instant dismissal. It was a most unusual thing (o do. There had never been any domestic trouble, added Mr do-Castro, - ,and deceased and his wife had always lived . • together happily. Deceased did not seo Mr Bucklokm yesterday. ' The jury returned a verdict that tho cause cf death was injury to tho. brain, th© result of a, revolver bullet wound selfinflicted whilst deceased'■ was of unspuad i mind,