MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF A GLASGOW BANK VICTIM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 836, 16 July 1879, Page 2

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE OF A GLASGOW BANK VICTIM.

An inquiry was held last Wednesday, at Simpson's store, Arthur-street, Dunedin, by Dr. Hoken, the city coroner, into the death of Ohas. MoKay, a new arrival, who was supposed to have 1 committed suicide. He had been a jeweller, in Duke-street, Edinb jrgh, tor the firm of McKay and Cunningham, and he there filed for £68,000, a few months ago, owing to the failure of the Glasgow Bank, and paid 15s in the £. His creditors were his uncle and father-in-law, and by their advice he came out here, they promising assistance if he succeeded. Dr. Burns deposed that all he knew of deceased was that he formed one of the new arrivals, who had been drinking hard since they came to the colony. When he was called in, de» ceased, from appearance, was suffering from opium poison. He went to the druggist for the necessary appliances, and when he returned in five minutes the breathing was nearly stopped, and deceased almost dead. At the back of the grate in his bedroom he found the bottle produced (a 2oz. bottle with a few drops of laudanum still in it). The cork was in. The bottle bore the address of (i Duncan, chemists, 16, Aahfield-street, Glasgow." There was nothing in the room to show that he had taken laudanum otherwise than the bottle. A quarter of the quantity taken would in all probability Jiave caused death. He could quite understand Mr. Simpson was deceived by the appearance of the deceased. The jury returned a verdict of suicide while suffering from temporary insanity.