MINISTER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 41

MINISTER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

BODY FOUND IN THE SEA. THE LATE REV. THOMAS LAW. (Fbom Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, Apil 8. Universal regret is expressed at the sad end of the Rev. Thomas Law, secretary of the Free Church Council, whose body was recovered from the sea off Brighton an Sunday. _ For the last few days his friends had noticed that he was depressed and suffering from neurasthenia.

The body was found on Sunday afternoonl about one mile off Palace pier at Brighten by two men in a rowing boat. It is impossible to say how Mr Law fell, into the sea, but there is a suggestion that he may have been in the pleasure steamer which was out during the morning. Articles found on the body gave clues to the identity, but it was not until late at night that the Rev. F. B. Lane, of Brighton, made the formal identification. A notebook, which gave the name Thomas Law, contained entries of expenses of recent visits to Ramisgate, Portsmouth, Southampton, Dover, and Paris, and a railway ticket, Victoria to Brighton, dated Ist April. It is curious, however, that Mr Law called at the Brighton police station on Friday night. He seemed to be in a somewhat excited state, and after giving his name he complained of being short of money. He gave the name of local bankers, and the police communicated with them. The result being satisfactory, money was obtained for him. A police officer accompanied him to the railway station. As the Victoria-Brighton ticket found on the body was also dated Friday, it seems that he must have gene to London and returned the same day. There are one or two later entries in the pocket-book than that of Paris, but they are difficult to decipher. Among other articles were a cheque-boot, 30s in gold, and 19s in silver. A FRIEND'S STATEMENT. Mr Law, with his wife, was present on Sunday night, March 27, at the Wesleyan service at the Lyceum Theatre. He then appeared to his friends to be in fairly ov-.-.r] HpalfiS. An intim.nt° fi-ierid mad« the following statement: —"Mr Law has been overworked lately, and in consequence he has been in a somewhat depressed state, while he has also been worried over business matters. He went to Brighton two days ago, travelling alone, in the hope that a few days bv the seaside would do him good. Since his > departure his family had no letter from him giving his address, and it is therefore that he may have been suffering loss of memory." Mr Law was at Sowerby, near Halifax, in 1854, artd was ordained a minister in the Methodist Church in 1876. He had held pastorates in Gateshead, Bradford, Glasgow, Birmingham, and London. For many years he was the pastor of the United Methodist Church at Birmingham, where his ministry was greatly appreciated. Sixteen years ago, at the instance of the late'Rev. Hugh Price Hughe?, he left Birmingham to take uo the secretaryship of the newly-founded National Free Church Council, a post which he had occuTjied ever since. His work in this connection made him one of the best known Free Churchmen in bhe country. He travelled through Britain, Europe, and America in his task of federating the Free Churches. He married, in* 1882, a daughter of the late Rev. E. Downing, and had two daughters. THE INQUEST.

The inquest took place at Brighton on Monday, when a terfribly pathetic story was told. The evidence showed that in his last few days, and consequent on extreme ill-health, he sought relief in alcoholic drink, and brought on a state of mental confusion Mid nervous collapse. The Rev. George Hooper, a noted * Free Church

' minister, who was one of Mr Law's closes! friends, told the jury that he travelled all oyy the country with Mr Law, and never Luexv him to take alcoholic liquor. " He had talked to me about his breakdown J;\st year," Mr Hooper said, "and of the fearful weakness which seemed fc. follow it. A fortnight ago I saw him irJ London, and he looked pale and ill. He told me that he could not stand another attack like the previous one. His chief fear seemed to be that his illness would return. At the Hull conference p. month ago he seemed at times dazed and not to know what was froino- on. He also suffered from loss of memory." NO THREAT OF SUICIDE. Mr Hooper added that Mr Law never I threatened to take bis life.- It was stated I that a bottle of bromide tablets was found on. the body. Miss MabeL Law, a daughter, said that j her father left borne on Wednesday last, | and' in the afternoon telegraphed from the I Strand that he was going to Brighton. I He was "often called away on, urgent business, and she was net surprised' at hia j going without luggage. "We thought he ; had gone for a rest," she continued. "He suffered from sleeplessness and took sleep- ! ing medicine. His last illness lasted three | months and was very serious. He had many friends in Brighton to whom he could i have gone if he had liked." "I CANNOT SLEEP." On. Friday morning a deck hand on tho Palace Pier saw Mr Law take off hie silk | hat, pu'J it down, and climb down a lact- ! deT until his feet were in the sea. " I . looked over and said ' Come back, sir, come j back; will you come back, please?' and he i said 'All right,' and olimbsd back." | Mr Law was handed over to a police I sergeant and went with him to the police I station. He told the sergeant that he went | down the ladder to get naar to the sea. The sergeant said that Mr ' Law smelt j strongly of drink. He gave the name i Laird, which he spelled, and an address at Dulwich, where it was afterwards foundT be did not live. The inspector who waa at the police station said that Mr Law seemed to be getting over a bout of drunkenness. He got him some soup and! sent a man to see him off to London, after j he had written a cheque for £% and it had! been cashed by the bank. He signed hia ! real name on the cheque, and explained that he gave the other name because he i did not want to be known. Th 9 night porter at an hotel said that ! at 5 o'clock on• Sunday morning Mir Law , rang and was shown to a bedroom. He said he could not sleep, and asked for brandy and soda. A little later he rang the bell and said: "I cannot sleep; bring me some more drink." _ At half-past eight he came downstairs, paid his bill, and left the hotel. A little later he was seen walk, ing along the front, and this was the las! that was seen of him alive. The jury returned an open verdict of " Found drowned."