AN UNEXPLAINED SUICIDE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18515, 28 March 1922, Page 2

AN UNEXPLAINED SUICIDE

TRAGIC EPISODE ON s.s. CORINNA. An unexplained suicide occurred on the steamer Corinna yesterday afternoon when a young A.lf. seaman named Sydney Chas. Dillon put an end to his life with two shots from a Savage automatic pistol. It appears that deceased went into the seamen s quarters about two o’clock, and taking the pistol from his chest shot himself in the chest. The shot vent unheeded by one of the crew who was getting ready to turn in, and deceased then procured a second cartridge and put a bullet into his left eye. He died while the ambulance was on the way to the Hospital. Deceased was 21 years of age, and no one was able to suggest any reason for l.is desperate and unexpected act. His mother and sister live in Bristol, and he had no relatives in New Zealand. An inquest was held at the hospital last evening by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., silling as coroner, Sergeant Turner representing the police. Ethel M. Robinson, of 19 Prince Albert road said she had known deceased for two and a-half years Deceased had no relatives here. His home was in Bristol, and his father had just recently died. He joined the Corinna a month ago, and previous to that he stayed with witness for three weeks. Deceased always went to her place when his boat was in port. He had been with thorn for the last two nights, and was in good spirits when witness saw him about ton o’clock on Sunday night. Ho then left for Jiis boat. Deceased had not mentioned having anything to worry him and was talking about sitting fob his ticket. He had an automatic revolver in his luggage. He was a very steady man. Dr C. R. Childs, senior house surgeon, said he saw deceased in the ambulance outside the hospital about three o’clock. He was then dead. Deceased had a bullet wound below the heart and another in the left eye There was a mark as if this bullet had come out through the forehead. The wounds were sufficient to cause death. In witness’s opinion the first wound could have been self-inflicted, but he would not like to say about the second one. The cause of death was the wounds which might have been inflicted with the pistol produced. James Gorrie, seaman, said deceased was on good terms with everyone on board. Witness was of! duty that morning and so was deceased. At 2 p.m. witness went to his quarters to turn in. Deceased, who occupied the next bunk, sat beside witness for a few minutes without speaking, and then went over to his chest. Witness heal'd a crack, and then deceased staggered back on tho seat beside him. Ho _ rose again and went back to his box, and witness saw him with something up to his head. It was not usual to lake any notice of men when they were taking things out of their chests, and witness did not loojt to see what it was. Witness heard another report and deceased then dropped. A fireman named Kidd came into the forecastle after the first shot. When deceased fell witness took away the pistol from him. Witness did not know he was wounded the first time. Deceased had not given any indication that he was thinking of suicide, and had no worries that witness knew of. Witness paid no attention to the first crack and never dreamed that deceased , was wounded. The pistol did not make much noise, and witness though it might be a cracker or something like that. Constable Hamilton said deceased was unconscious when he went to the ship from the watch-house. Dr Fergus thought there was little chance of deceased’s life but they sent for the ambulance. In witness’s opinion the wounds were self-inflicted. The pistol must have been clos,o to the body in each case, as deceased’s shirt and eyelid were burned. In deceased’s cheat witness found a box of 50 cartridges for the pistol, of which 10 were missing. Apparently deceased fired one shot at a time and went back to his chest for the second. There were none in the magazine. From inquiries witness made on the Corinna he was satisfied that the information he had been given was quite accurate. Witness read a statement made by the fireman, Kidd, in which he said that he saw deceased. fire with the revolver to his head and that he had noticed nothing wrong with him. Witness also stated that a leading seaman named Henderson said he had heard deceased make a. remark about some girl once and he was crying. The coroner said he could adjourn the inquest if_ tho police wished, but Sergeant Turner said he did not think they could get any further ahead. The coroner said the evidence woe clear that deceased, apparently without reason, wont to hia chest, took a, revolver, and shot himself twice. , It seemed peculiar that the first shot was not recognised by the witness Gorrio, but it was quite feasible in the case of an automatic pistol. His verdict would be that deceased committed suicide by shooting himself. There was no evidence to show that deceased was depressed, and his action seemed quite inexplicable