SUICIDE OF MR LARNACH. FOUND DEAD IN A COMMITTEE ROOM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2328, 13 October 1898, Page 30

SUICIDE OF MR LARNACH. FOUND DEAD IN A COMMITTEE ROOM.

LOADED REVOLVER TN HIS HAND

CONSTERNATION IN THE HOUSE.

(Pee United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON", October 12. 'A most painful occurrence happened in J Committee room at the Parliamentary Buildings between 4 o'clock this afternoon and half-past 8 this evening, at which latter time the body of the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach, member for Tuapeka, was found with a sixchambered revolver in his right hand, one chamber of which had been discharged. The bullet entered the head almost in the centre of the forehead and slightly over the left eye. He was found sitting in a chair at the head of the table, and was quite dead, with his head thrown back. The last person who saw him alive was Mr E. W. Kane, parliamentary bill-reader, who, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, saw him entering the committee room, and exchanged a few words with him, after which Mr Jsarnach locked the door. Mr Kane thought he had locked himself in the room to attend to private correspondence. Twenty minutes afterwards Mr R. M'Kenzie, member for Motueka, tried the door, but received no reply. When Mr Larnach did not arrive home at tea time Mrs Larnach became .anxious, and made inquiries as to his whereabouts from Mr Mills, one of the Government itvhips, who made a search oi the buildings, jind, finding the J Committee room looked, had the door forced open. The body was found as already stated. Mr Larnaeh was chairman of the Public (Accounts Committee and a member of the Goldfields Committee. At the meeting of the 'latter committee, which he attended this morning, he sat for a couple of hours without speaking, and his apparent despondency ■was the subject of some remark by his fellowjcommitteemen.