DIARY OF DEATH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23704, 11 January 1939, Page 12

DIARY OF DEATH

WEALTHY MAN’S SUICIDE FAREWELL LETTER TO WIFE (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Jan. 6. An amazing diary of death left by a wealthy young man, who gassed himself after his wife had parted from him, was produced in the Coroner’s Court here. The man’s body was found in the kitchen of his flat. In his hand was a torch he had used in his last moments to shine on the pictures of his wife and baby propped against the skirting board. Beside the body was a long letter which he had written as he brooded over his act in the earlv hours of the morning. It ended in a frantic scrawl as the gas took effect upon him. In a letter received from his cousin on the day of his death, the man, Geoffrey Norman Rogers, aged 28, a salesman, threatened to gas himself, and if he could assure himself there was “something beyond,” he would take his baby Tony with him. Before ,;he died, Rogers returned the, child to its mother. It was stated that Rogers was insured for £ 1000 and owned shares valued at £15,000. m Roger’s long farewell death diary was addressed to his wife. It read: “Beryl, Darling: A short final addition to he note I posted to-night. I wrote to mother and told her what I was going to do, and why, but of course it will be weeks until she gets it. “ Would you please send her a cable —you need only say that I had died, and then vou could write and explain, arid please write to her frequently and send her snaps of Tony and let her know how he is getting on. Tell her, too, I said to make a new will in his favour. “ It’s almost 1.30 a.m. now, sweet, and I have the room pretty well sealed —I ought to finish by 2, or shortly after. I have only the kitchen door to do now. I’ll take the pen and ink . with me when I start it, in case I want to add something more, as I wont be able to leave the kitchen when I start to seal the door. ...

“Well, darling, I’m finished now, but it took me longer than I expected. It’s just 3 a.m. exactly now. There is nothing more I want to add, darling—Oh, yes, please have me cremated, dearest. . “ (Good-bye, my darling wife. Remember always, sweetheart, that our love for each other was the greatest thing ‘in my life, and although we had a silly upset and Darted, I am sure you love me as much as ever you did —just the saipe as I love you, and I’ll be waiting for you to join me wherever I am going, “P.S.—Sat and smoked and thought for some time, and had a bit of Dutch courage.—Time is now 13 minutes to 4—one more cigarette, and at 4 am. sharp, the gas goes on —December 17—remember the day, dear, every year. Queer I go at 4, and it will probably take 15 minutes for the gas to get me, and within half an hour or so you will be up to give Tony his milk.—Time. 3.58 a.m. “ P.P.S.—I don’t know if I’m a coward or not, but it’s almost a quarter past 4.—l’ve decided I must go between 4.15 and 4.30.—1t’s getting light now —it’s nice to see daylight. Darkness is depressing. Because I have delayed a bit does not mean I’ve lost my desire to go. and I love you.

“Well Beryl my darling, it’s now 4.27, and the gas has been on about 30 seconds—l must stop because I want to turn the light out and just look at your picture and Tony’s with the torch, while I lie down on the spare-room mattress I brought out — I feel it already—Good-bye, and I love'you my darling wife. —Your loving husband Geoff.” The last few words were scrawled, and trailed down to the bottom of the ipage. The widow, a striking young blonde, Mrs Beryl May Rogers, said that about two months ago she and her husband had quarrelled and they had since been living apart. She last saw him alive two days before his death, when he brought their* baby back to her. He seemed quite all right then, and there was no suggestion that he might commit suicide.

Police gave evidence that the kitchen door had been sealed with putty, and the window, servery door and ventilators had been sealed with sticking plaster.