TRAGIC CHAPTER

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10922, 24 August 1928, Page 6

TRAGIC CHAPTER

FARMER COMMITS SUICIDE. Electric Telegraph —Press Association WH AiSGAREI. August 23. _ Victor Clarence Clarke, aged 35. farmer, of Pukotai, a married ma,« with four young children, committee? suicide yesterday afternoon by .shooting, the left side of his head being blown away. A horse he had been riding was also' shot dead. Deceased’s wife, when out riding, met her husband, who commanded her to dismount. He then took her place and galloped away, calling out: “This is the list time you will see m© alive.” Shortly afterwards two gunshots were heard and an investigation revealed the tragedy as described. At the inquest to-day a verdict or death caused by a gunshot wound, self-inflicted during a state of mental aberration, was returned. ANOTHER SETTLER WITH BULLET WOUND. • INVERCARGILL. Last Nignv. Shortly after noon to-day. a voting man. Cleave Gerrard. farmer, single, aged 23. was found lying unconscious in a stable on a farm at Southland with a bullet wound in his head. Lying beside him was a .22 repeating rifle containing a spent cartridge. He was brought to- the Southland Hospital where he lies in a. serious condition. TWO MEN BELIEVED TO BE DROWNED. WELLINGTON. Last Night. The Secretary-Genera] of the Post. Office- lias received the following message from the Postmaster at Plimmerton: The larg© launch Matakitnki. owned by Brown Bros.. of Paremats. capsized off tho reefs about two miles from Plimmerton at 2.30 p.m. Brown Bros, carried lifebelts in the launch. Search for the missing men. Henry Brown, aged 53 years, married, no children, and Alexander Brown, aged 48 vears, married, four children, continued til] dark. No trace of them was seen hut much wreckage and a battered hulk of a launch was discovered . The cause of the disaster seems to have been stoppage of engine. The boat capsized m heavy seas. The two men were farmers who did fishing in the winter.