FOUND IN THE THAMES

Otago Witness, Issue 3499, 5 April 1921, Page 24

FOUND IN THE THAMES

NEW ZEALAND FARMER’S SUICIDE. VICTIM OF RHEUMATISM. (From Oca Own Correspondent.) LONDON, February 10. In March of last year an elderly man, suffering from serious injuries to his throat, was discovered lying on a rubbish heap outside Ramsgate. He was removed to hospital, and recovered from what was apparently an attempt to commit suicide. The sequel to this unhappy event occurred this week, when the body of Mr Daniel Downes was found in the Thames under Westminster Bridge, and at the subsequent coroner’s inquest a verdict was returned of suicide while of unbound mind. Mr Downes, who was 72 years of age, went out to New Zealand some 50 years ago, where he became a well-known and prosperous farmer in the North Island. Ten yearn ago he retired, and came to this country, where he had since been living, mainly at hotels and seaside Tesorts. During the war he showed his interest in the country’s cause by presenting half a dozen horses to the British Government. His health, however, had not been satisfactory for some years, and he -was apparently suffering a good deal from rheumatism. On December 22 his medical adviser sent him to Bath to try a cure for his malady, but he disappeared suddenly from there on the sth of January. The police found a wallet belonging to him on the Paddington Station on that date, but no trace of the deceased w r as discovered until, as recorded, his body was found in the Thames this week.