A MYSTERIOUS DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18787, 14 February 1923, Page 5

A MYSTERIOUS DEATH

EXHUMATION FOLLOWS. QUEER STORY FROM SCOTLAND. With great secrecy the body of Mr William Wiseman, formerly a nursery proprietor, of Forres, Morayshire, has been exhumed at Cluny Hill Cemetery, Forres. Mr Wiseman died suddenly on October 21, and the exhumation followed a report to the Scottish Office by the Procurator Fiscal. Certain organs of the body were removed for examination by the analysts.

The circumstances of Mr Wiseman's death arc curious. He had not been living in his house for some time before his death, and all his meals were taken to him at his small office, which is built in the nursery gardens of which he was the proprietor. In order that he could live altogether in the office, beds and bedding were taken into fhe building, and latterly Mr Wiseman had been sleeping there alone.

The discovery of his death was made by one of his sons, man was in the habit of taking down his father's breakfast at an early hour, and on October 21 he found his father lying dead in bed. Dr John Adam, of Forres, was summoned, and expressed fhe opinion that Mr Wiseman had been dead four, hours, and had probably passed away in his sleep. After flic funeral many strange rumours went round ,lhe town concerning Mr Wiseman's death, and suggestions were circulated that all was not right. These rumuuie became so persistent that the circumstances were made (he subject of further investigation by the police. As the result of the police activities, an inquiry was conducted by Mr R. B. Gordon, the Procurator Fiscal, end following bis report to fhe Scottish office the exhumation was carried out by local officers in the cemetery.

Great excitement was created in the small town, and the strange death of Mr Wiseman, who was well known amongst the agriculturists of the neighbourhood, was the chief subject of discussion. The Forres police were extremely reticent and informed a newspaper reporter that no information could be given regarding the reasons of the exhumation. “I can answer no questiona..on (lie matter," said the officer on duty. “If is entirely in the hands of the Procurator Fiscal.” Dr Adam, who attended Mr Wiseman, was equally uncommunicative. He said he did not know why Mr Wiseman had not been sleeping at borne. “The whole question is taken out of our hands,” he said, “and I cannot make any statement at present as to the opinion I hold regarding the cause of Mr Wiseman’s death.” Forres, which is a small (own of 1000 inhabitants. has only one main street. It toasts of much wonderful scenery in (he immediate neighbourhood. Clnny Hill is close to the town, and from the cemetery can he obtained a fine view of the Moray Firtn in the Ord of Caithness. Overloild-ig the cemetery is a famous monument. —the Keieon Monument--reached by a winding track on the far side of the burial ground, end from which parts of ten counties can be seen.