SUICIDE BY ASPHYXIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3610, 22 May 1923, Page 7

SUICIDE BY ASPHYXIATION.

Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., held a coroner’s inquest at the morgue on the Btli inst. concerning the death of Albert James Goding, who was found dead on the floor of his kitchen yesterday morning in his house in Dundas street, with a rubber tube, attached to a gas jet, close to his head. Sergeant Shanahan appeared for the police. Ellen Coding, wife of deceased, stated that her husband had been worrying over a divorce case in which he was co-respondent, and had made some remarks as to doing away with himself. She saw deceased for the last time on Tuesday evening at 7 o’clock, and on going into the kitchen next morning found deceased lying on the floor with a gas tube in his mouth and a coat over his head. He was dead. The gaa was turned on. Witness was going to commence divorce proceedings against deceased after his own case was ever. Elizabeth Jane Stewart, wife of Alex. Stewart, Grange street, stated that she had known deceased for five or six years. She saw him about 8.30 on Tuesday evening. He stayed in her house till about 11 p.m. He appeared very worried over a divorce case, arising from proceedings witness’s husband was taking. Ho said he would see witness again. Witness was living apart from her husband, and deceased was corespondent in the petition for divorce. Constable M’Crae and Dr Evans also gave evidence. A verdict of suicide by coal gas poisoning was returned.