SUICIDE AT PURAKANUI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 33

SUICIDE AT PURAKANUI.

j James Douglas, aged 46, a dairy farmer, j residing with his wife and family at Pura-

kanui, was found by his wife hanging in a

j cowshed about 3 p.m. on Saturday. Mrs J Douglas immediately called to her assistance her father-in-law, who cut the body down, but life was extinct. Information was sent to Port Chalmers, and Dr Hodges and the police were promptly in attendance. The deceased, who was in easy circumstances, had been suffering from insomnia lately.

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held at Hayward's Point on Monday afteornoon, before Mr C. C. Graham and a jury, into the cause of death of James Douglas, a dairy faimer, who met his death by hanging about 3.30 p.m. on Saturday, 17th inst. Tlie jury were Messrs E. Pauling (foreman), G. Brittenden, G. Smyth, C. King, J. Golightly, and J. E. Wix.

Margaret Douglas, wife of deceased, deposed that her husband had been in bad health for six weeks and could not sleep or rest at night.

' He porsistenly refused to have medical attend ance. Ho was very quiet in his manner and '"seemingly depressed in spirits, but gave no indication that he contemplated self-destruc-tion. On Saturday, I7th mst., he attended to his business as usual, and lefft the house about 3.20 p.m., and 10 minutes afterwards, on witness going to look for him, fcho found him hanging in the byre by a rope attached to one of the rafters. Witness ran up to him and icund that he was quite dead, and in answer to her cries, his father came running up and cut deceased down at once. Deceased was 49 years of age, and, so far as witness, knew, he had no monetary or other cause to disturb his n-ind.

Alexander Douglas, father of deceased, said iiiat although his son, with whom he resided, had been in bad health for some time, on -"the day of his d-jath he seemed to be better than usual. He was quieter in his manner and spoke mere composedly. When his body was taken down from the rafters he was quite dead. Witness and a neighbour named Steele endeavoured to produce artificial respiration, but without effect.

William Steele, a neighbour of deceased, also gave evidence.

Gecrge Hodges, medical practitioner, Port Chalmers, deposed that he examined the body of deceased about 7 p.m. on the 17th, and found it to be that of a well-nourished, muscular man of apparently 50 years of age. There were on external ma-rks of violence except round the neck, where there was a narrow, discoloured band, probably caused by severe pressure of a lope. Tbe cause of death was strangulation.

The Jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide by hanging when in a "state of temporary insanity.