SUICIDE BY SHOOTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17941, 21 May 1920, Page 3

SUICIDE BY SHOOTING

JEALOUS SUSPICION. STATE OF MIND UNCERTAIN. Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., acting as coroner, sat at th© Morgue yesterday to conduct an investigation as to the ciroiunstanoce surrounding the death of a young man named Anthony Paterson, who was found dead in his bedroom afc the Occidental Hotel, Manso street, on Wednesday morning. Sergeant Boulton represented the Police Department. Tile first witness called was Alfred Lyons, a brother-in-law of deceased, who identified the body. He said that deceased was a farm labourer, and had last worked at Wedderbum on the railway. Deceased caino to town last Monday week arid put up at the Occidental Hotel. Witness last saw deceased on Saturday evening, but did not speak to him. Ho had spoken to him on last Thursday or Friday week and he (deceased) then appeared to be in good spirits and good health. He exhibited no sign of depression. Deceased was a single ir.an, and so far as witness knew, was not in the habit of drinking to excess. He (witness) knew that deceased had a .22 Stevens rifle, and identified the one produced as the property of deceased. Ernest Silvester Ebzery, the keeipor of the Occidental Private Hotel, stated that he had known deceased for about six years. Deceased had often stayed with him. and camo to the hotel last Monday week. Witress did not notico any drink on deceased till last Thursday afternoon, when deceased was the worse for liquor. He (deceased) had luncheon and witness did not see him after that Witness went to deceased's room a little after 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning. Witness's little daughter had gono to Paterson's room for some blacking, and on returning said, that ?he thought Paterson was dead. Witness then went to the room and found deceased lying on the floor fully dressed with his head resting on a portmanteau at the side of the bed, the rifle being alongside hiii|. Deceased was quite dead, and witness reported the matter to the police. Deceased when last seen seemed to be in a good humour. The door of his room was nol looked, and the room was not occupied by anyone else. Witness did not hear the report of any firearm. Though .the house was fairly full no one seemed to have heard any report. On Tuesday afternoon most of the boarders would be out to view tlie Royal celebrations. Elizabeth Mary Ebzery, wife of tho previous witness, said she last saw deceased at a quarter to two on Tuesday. She thought he seemed to be under the in flueoice of liquor. He was joking and laughing. After lunch he went upstairs in the direction of his room, and she did not see him alive again. Kathleen Marsh said she had known Paterson for between four and five months, and had been keeping company with him. She met him on the Monday night no came to town, and saw him again each night until last Monday night. That was tho lost time she -saw him alive. Deceased asked her then if she would marry him in three months' time, and she agreed. He was in good spirits and good health. Witness did not know of anything that would cause deceased to think that she Had "turned him down." Deceased came to see her without making appointments and she did not think he had any doubt m his mind as to her feelings towards him. The letter produced by the police §-as m deceased's handwriting. It seemed oil bunday as if something was worrying him. and she asked him what was the matter, but BSoTdCsed that about 8 30 on Wednesday morning he went to the Occidental Hotel, and on entering debased s room found him quite dead and cold, lie body was lying partly resting on the bed, with the head on a portmanteau which was on the floor. The rifle was lying on the floor, and had apparently been dropped by deceased directly after using it. A bullet wound appeared in the centre of the forehead, and apparently deceased was sitting on the bed when the rifle was. used. There was a box containing 49 cartridges on the dressing table, and one discharged cartridge was in the rifle. On the dressing table witness found a letter in deceased's handwriting. This was addressed to Miss Marsh, and stated that he (deceased) was going to take his life, and that it would be better for both of them if he did so. "Your words to me," the letter stated, "were very cold, and I take it there is someone else. . . • Perhaps I am making it hard for you. I hope you have success.—l am, your loving Ernest." The Coroner asked Miss Marsh if, in the face of that letter she could give an explanation; oould she account for deceased thinking she had "turned him down." Miss Marsh replied that there was nothing that she knw of. Deceased never had drink on him when he met her. Sergeant Boulton expressed the opinion that deceased must have shot himself about 4 o'clock, because the body was so rigid when it was found. The Coroner said it was quite clear that deceased had committed suicide, but there was not Sufficient evidence to show his state of mind. From the evidence one could not suppose him to be a man depressed in any way. The only indication of anything at all was in the evidence of Miss Marsh, who said she thought he had something on his mind on the Sunday, but he said hei was all right. Then in a letter ho seemed to have thought that Miss Marsh had cooled off, and that there must be somebody else. There was also evidence that deceased had apparently been drinking, but they could not tell if this was the result of what he thought. Whether what was in deceased's mind and the drinking together brought him to that state of mind they dould not tell. .No doubt it was a foolish act. A verdict would be'returned that deceased died at the Occidental Hotel, tho cause of' death being a bullet wound self-inflicted. The evidence was not sufficmt to show what state of mind deceased was in at the time.-