SUICIDE OF A TROOPER AT MORNINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 73

SUICIDE OF A TROOPER AT MORNINGTON.

THE INQUEST. An inquest touching the death of the man, Joseph H. Forsyth, who was found hanging by a strap from a tree in the bush at Moinmgtor on Wednesday afternoon was opened on Fiiday morning before Mr C. C. Graham, coiner, and a jury of six, of whom Mr John Miller was chosen foreman. After the juiy hfld viewed the body evidence was taken. John Gough, labourer, slated that on "Wednesday afternoon he had had occasion to go to the bush at Clareniont at 3.30 p.m., and when there he had been confronted by the sight of the deceased swinging from a tree. Witnesb went for his father, and they both went up to the body. Tue body was attached to the bough by two straps, one being round the neck and the other attached to the first and tied to the tree. Witness then went foi Constable Power, who returned with witness and cut the body down. The remains were then cold and ptiff. When swinging from the tree the deceatad's knees were just touching the ground, and the hu.uds were free and hanging by the side of the body. Fredenck (iou^h, father of the previous witness, gave coiroborative testimony. When witnesb saw the body in the buah it was turning colour. Constable Power stated lh«t he had been called by John Gough to the bush at Claretnont on Wednesday. Witness then proceeded to the bush st Claremont, on Mr Williams' b pioperly, and there he had found deceased suspended iiom the bough of a tree b}' two strong new straps (produced). The bough was abcut sft 6in from the ground, where the knees were resting The ground was sloping, and deceased's toes were touching the earth down hill, the full \v( jght of the body being on thp .stups. The bod\ whs then at iff ynd cold, and decomposition had just set m. Witness would say that deceased had been dead then about 21 hours. A pockethook (produced) had been found in one of the pockets, and the book contained 12s 4d in cash, a cash receipt lor 12s 6d for a pair of blankets bought on April 5 fiom Messrs Kilrov and Sutherland, Dunedin, and an account rendered from Margaret Thomson, grocei, Queenstown, for £' 15b Id. of which ±'6 Cs had been paid off by cheque. The letters " syth " had remained on the bi'l, pnrt having been torn away, and it was concluded his name had been Forsylh. Witness had ascertained that the deceased had purchased the blanket 3 in person from Kilrov and Sutherland, and the , parcel had bc-en pent to the Leviathan Hotel, ' addressed Joseph Forsyth. On inquiry at the hotel witness found the parcel waiting there for an owner. Deceased w"8 not known by either the naiup or the description at the hote l . Witness then made inquiries at Queenstown, and leceived the following telegrams — " Joseph Forsyth had ht-ed at the head of Lake Wakatnm, and his brother is> there lorn. He wa= slightly weak-mmded, but was a good worker. He lo°t his swag when leaving here on Fiiday -1, aid failed to join the Dunedin tioops or. Saturday. — J. C. Mackenzie, sergeant." Another telegram read " Re suic-<le at Mornuigtuu, reported ie the Otago Dtu'y Times of this date (Apnl 10), Col.n Frascr stptos that he bc-heves it to be Joseph Forsyth, who pass-ed through from Glcnorchy on April A, and was said to be about leaving with the Tenth Contingent — J. Fleming, seigeant, Gore." A latei wjre from Sergeant Mackenzie read "Joseph For«vth left here on Fiiday mouiing us oi.e of the trooper 3 for South Africa in the Teuth Contingent. He is well known to Sb 'ldeis, dmer of Anderson's Br<y 'bus." Arthur Shaldera, driver for Stonhousc. Anderson's Ba\. stated that ho had rc.ded «t Lake Wakatipu for some years, and row identified the body as that ot Joseph Foreyth, of Glcr.oicljy. Witness li.'d last seen deceased at Glenorcliv «'.out four months ago Tue deceased seemed a tittle "-implc-mmded occas:o ria'ly The uecf-a«scd had ijceu well kr.own in that dist'itt, and \w« a. m?n of ten.neiat? habits. The Coione:, v: summirg up. said it was a very pvid-nl ca-e of Filicide. ai-d the identity c[ il.e deceased had been established beyord doubt Tlie Jecraied had lost Ins fv. ;i^, and, having m:s j ?d the contingent and being of simple i>iirid, this had evdeiHly pieyed upon hi* ruiiid. The juiy found a vercLct oi su-c^ck- dicing a at oi temporary msanUXi '