DEATH OF MR WOODHOUSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16070, 11 May 1914, Page 6

DEATH OF MR WOODHOUSE

THE INQUEST

On Saturday afternoon the District Coroner (Mr C. C. Graham) Ijeld an inquest as to tho death of Mr John Frederick Woodhouse, barrister, who took his life on Friday toy shooting himself in the head with a revolver. Sub-inspector Foully was in attendance on behalf of the police. A. C. Boiscnce, kvv ci.jck, said he saw the deceased at 10 minutes part 12 o'clock on Friday, and he then asked witness to take a dralt letter to the typist. He then appeared to be in a normal condition with regard to health and spirits. Witness afterwards heard a no:so on the skylight, and he and a. fellow clerk thought it was a bird. Witness went into Mr VVoodhouse's room about 25 minutes to 1, and saw Mr Woodhouse sitting at his desk with his head resting on his left arm. Thero wae blood on the desk. Witness thought Mr Woodhouse had broken a blood vessel, and he informed Mr Fraser of what he had eeen. They both went to the room and Mr Fraser told witness to ring up a doctor. Witness rang up Dr Evans, who soon came. Deceased never spoke when 'witness first eaw him. Dceasud was then breathing heavily. Dr Evans deposed that ho was called to tho office of Messrs Fraser and Woodhouse on Friday about 20 minutes to 1. He found Mr Woodhouse in a chair seated at a desk with his head supported by the last witness. There was a lacerated wound in the centre of the forehead large enough to admit witness's index finger. Thero was an opening in the frontal bone. There was bleeding from the feft ear and from the mouth. There was a large- quantity of blood on tho floor and on the desk. At deceased's right foot lay a revolver. Witness had tne patient removed to Nurse Thomson's nursing home, where deceased died about 10 minutes to 2. Witness could not find the bullet, but traced it along the left side of tho brain He \xmsidered that' the cause of death was a bullet wound producing fracture of the base of Jhe skull. Witness was of tho opinion that the weapon had been held close to the forehead. There was every appearance that the shot had been fired close to the forehead, and that it could have been self-inflicted. There was no hope of recovery.

John Fraser M'Queen Fraser, K. 0., a member of tho firm of Frasor and Woodhouse, stated that deceased was a junior partner in the firm. On Friday forenoon, about 11 o'clock, deceased went into witness's room and discussed current business, in accordance with his daily practice. He was in good spirits. Later on Mr Woodhouse wrote some five or six letters relating to current business. About 12.40 Mr Boswent into witness's room and witness accompanied him to Mr Woodhouse's room. There he found deceased with his head on his arm on the desk and a heavy effusion of bjood everywhere. Witness tnought he had buret a blood vessel, and caused Dr Evans to be telephoned for. He sent for a basin and towe!, propped deceased ;up in his chair and", sponged his face,' and in doing so found a bullet wound in his forehead. Witness saw the revolver ■ produced lying on the floor at deceased's feet. It was loaded , , with the exception of one chamber, which had been discharged. Witness rang up Subinspector Fouhy, who came along, and the deceased was removed to a private hospital.- Witness had noticed lately that deceased was in a measure losing his sense of proportion, and working under some pressure. He had complained of pains in his head, and witness had suggested on more than one occasion that he should take a holiday. All deceased's papers connected with current 'business were in perfect order, and brought up-to-date. , That applied to all the work of the office, so far .as /the de;ceased was concerned. The deceased had nothing whatever to worry him so far as tho partnership business was concerned, and witness knew of "no other worries that he had. Their relations were always most cordial. Deceased was the last man in the world witness would have thought would end his life as hs had done. Mr Graham: I think we can all endorse that, Mr Fraser. Witness continuing, said that ho was unaware that deceased had any firearms in the office., Sub-inspector Fouhy: You never saw a revolver before? Witness: I never saw it. I only saw it under his feet. , Sub-inspector Fouhy: Can you say anything as to his temperate habits? Witness answered, with eome reluctance, that he did not feel justified in describing deceased as exactly a temperate man. Towards tHe end of last year he had spoken strongly to deceased on the point, but this year, during business hours, hajhad had no cause for complaint. He was rarely' in in deceased's company after deceased , left the office. He had never known alcohol impair the quality of deceased's work. The Sub-inspector: Are, you aware that deceased was a fairly heavy'■drinker? Witness: My answer to that is that those associated with him in his life after he left the office would know best, but I suspect that he unpaired his powers. of resistanoe. That is, for a ;man of his temperament. He was almost feminine in his tastes. The Coroner: I have known him for a good many years, and I can only say that I never saw him the worse of liquor. The Sub-inspector, to witness: If you had to pick out a cause for this, would you put it down to'that? Witness: I,could not tell you. I found nothings among his letters to throw any light upon such an act. I have never seen him hanging up his work for five minutes. 1 might add that for years he has never taken a holiday; working on Saturdays and Sundays. That possibly may be the likely cause for the act. He had no relaxation outside his work. Of late yeare work hod become a habit with him. The Sub-inspector: Are you. aware of his financial position? . • » Witness: So far as I know he had no 'financial pressure, and was probably as well off as he had been at any time ot his life. Pie had often expressed his perfect happiness in his home and family. Sub-inspector Fouhy gave evidence as to receiving a call, and as to proceeding to Messrs Fraser and Woodhouse'e office. He there saw deceased, who wae then alive, sitting on a chair, but perfectly unconscious. A revolver was lying at his feet. The revolver seemed to be a new one. Witness had made inquiries all over the oity as to the sale of such a weapon, but could find no word of such a thing having been sold to deceased. Witness made a search among deceased's papers and among what was in his pockets, and could. Cnd nothing that would account for the fatal act. Among the accounts found were several unpaid accounts; one rather pressing; but not of such a nature as ■ would cause deceased to do what he did. Another revolver was found in hie drawer, and also a box of cartridges, from which the revolver used had evidently been loaded. The revolver found in his drawor would not act, and witness concluded that the second revolver wa.s got as a consequence. The Coroner eaid that of course the cause of death was a gunshot wound self-inflicted. Taking everything into consideration there could be no doubt that those wiho knew deceased, and a great many others, would, regard aim as about the last person to commit such an act. It was possible that his mind, burdened by overwork, and possibly affected a little by slight over-indulgence, might have been the cause, but he (Mr Graham) had never seen Mr Woodhouse the worse for liquor. Of course he did not sec him out of office hours, except at functions where he had shone with great delight to others. He (Mr Graham) could only return a verdict that death was caused by a gunshot wound edlf inflicted, while deceased was in a state of\temporary insanity.