CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1418, 25 January 1879, Page 9

CANTERBURY.

, ' ! " CHRI3TOHUROH, January 18ttu A'mannamedPeter Gilberton had his ankle broken at Baxter's sawmill, Oxford, on Friday, by a log rolling off the saw-bench. Baßingthwaite," lately a publicanand storekeeper at Rangiora, was charged with" fraudulent insolvency at the JR. M. Court, this morning, and evidence having been taken, he was remanded for a week. The bail accepted was two sureties for LSOO each, and accused on his own recognisance for LIOOO. January 20th. Yesterday afternoon a determined suicide took place at Rangiora. A man in the employ of James Bassingthwaite, named George Butler/ was found lying dead in a stable. De- . ceased had been in Bassingthwaite's employ as groom and general hand for About 18 months, and was about 50 years of age. According to, . Mrs Bassingthwaite's statement he was the, owner of the large amount of LBOO, found on her person in connection with the recent discovery' of money supposed to belong td her husband's insolvent estate. At the sale of effects, belonging to the estate on Tuesday lapt,'deceased purchased several things, for which -he. paid cash. It is also found that one of the cottages built recently by Bassingthwaite was the' property of deceased. , He was working, for Bassingthwaite at the r,ate of LI per week, and when , examined by Detective Benjamin, ,he stated that Ll9 was due to him for his services. How he became possessed of so much cash and property is a mystery, • It is presumed that the, cause of suicide was dread of the examination,' and fear of not being able to give a satisfactory account' of his ppßitipn. • Yesterday morning) he breakfasted with Mrs Bassingthwaite* and the male servant as usual, saying that he would shave himself and' take a walk to the river. He went out during the afternoon. Mrs Baa- 1 singthwaite and a female servant found, the door of the stable locked inside, and sent for

the nearest neighbour, Mr G. Cone, to come across. Deceased was found in a crouching position, leaning against the door-post and stiff, as if dead tor some hours. He had evidently hanged himself, and the rope had given way after death, A man, supposed to be a cook belonging to a surveyor's party on the north bank of the Rakaia, attempted to ford the river on Saturday evening, and has not yet been heard of. His horse was found all right, but the man, whose name is not known, is probably drowned, and his body washed far down, as the search party has been unable to find it. At the inquest on the Rangiora suicide, a verdict of " Suicide while in a slate of temporary insanity" was returned. Chadwick, who lately attempted suicide by stabbing himself, was committed for trial today. i : I |