SAD FATALITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8416, 16 January 1899, Page 4

SAD FATALITY.

DEATH OF MR P. E. RICHARDSON. 1 Considerable sensation was caused on Saturday afternoon when the ITkr.u.h was published containing an announcement that Mr Pelham Enfde Richardson had "hot himself at his residence, Makaraka. (Che shooting, it was subsequently learned, occurred under most distressing circumstances. It appears that the deceased had harnessed his horse to the buggy, leading his family to suppose that he was coming into town. Instead, however, of doing so, he went to a quiet part of the orchard and shot himself witha five-cliamoercd revolver, discharging two shots, the reports of which were heard by the members of his family, the second bullet whizzing past one of the Rirls when in the yard at the back of the house. One bullet entered the mouth of deceased and emerged at the crown of the head. Mr Richardson lingered for about tea minutes, but was apparently in an unconscious state, and death resulted before medical assistance could be obtained. He left a number of letters, which were taken charge of by Sergeant Black, who arrived on the scene in the early part of the afternoon, having been telephoned for from Makaraka. Dr Hughes was also sent for, but only arrived in time to pronounce life extinct. Deceased was an old settler in the district, having arrived here in IS7I. He served for some time in the Poverty Bay Mounted Rifles dm ing the war. In recent years he was Chairman of the Matawhero school committee, and was a wellknown man throughout the district. He leaves a wife and five children, three daughters and two sons. His remains were interred yesterday afternoon in Makaraka cemetery, Canon Webb ofliciating at the grave. An enquiry into the circumstances sur- ■ rounding the death of deceased was held at his late residence, Makaraka. yesterday morning, before the District Coroner, Mr J. Booth, S.M., and a jury of six, of whom Mr W. Currie was elected foreman. Sergeant Black represented the police. Edith Ellen Richardson, wife of deceased, was the firafc witness called. Examined by Sergeant Black, witness stated that she last saw her husband alive about half-past two on Saturday afternoon, in the orchard at the back of the house. He was then preparing to go into town, and appeared to be inliis usual state of health. Deceased had not been well for the past three weeks or month, although he was particularly pleasant in his manner on Saturday afternoon. Her husband attributed his sickness to an attack of the measles. Deceased had not been under a doctor. Of late his habits had not been very temperate, and within the last few weeks he had apparently been drinking more than usual. Her husband was sober when she saw him on Saturday afternoon. He had not risen until late in the morning. Witness spoke to deceased at the back door, and said " How is it that you have not left for town ? You will be so late home." He replied " I have forgotten something, and I want to think what it is." Witness did not see anything more of deceased, and concluded that lie had left for town. Shortly afterwards witness and other members of the family heard a shot. Witness did not take much notice of it, but her daughter exclaimed, " What is that ?" and hastened out of the house. When her daughter got outside anothei 1 shot was heard, and a bullet whizzed past one of the girls' face. They were rather afraid, fearing that other shots would be fired. They did not see anything of the deceased at this time. Her daughters called out, but received no answer. Witness and her daughters searched the grounds, and found deceased in the orchard with the dog standing by him. Deceased was lying on his back on the ground. Witness did not stay long in the orchard, being taken away by one of her daughters. Dr Hughes was immediately sent for. Witness saw a revolver in deceased's hand when in the orchard. She knew that her husband kept a revolver in the house, but could not state that the one produced belonged to him. Witness had no reason to believe that her husband contemplated suicide. Years ago, she had heard him remark when in a temper that he did not care how soon life was over, but of late he had not threatened 'to take his life. She could not give any reason for the act other than that he was in a bad state of health and had been drinking. A few days ago he had talked of going to Wellington for a trip, and witness had tried to advise him to go inland for a few days, where he could not get anything to drink. When witness saw the body of deceased in the orchard she did not notice any papers in his hand or near the body. The letters produced were in deceased's haudwriting. She had not read the documents. Deceased was fifty-five years of age, and an Englishman. He had several cousins in the colonies, but she did not know their whereabouts. Deceased had left five children, two sons and three daughters, the youngest being ten years of age. The boys were not at home at the time of their father's death. Inez Richardson, daughter of deceased, in her evidence stated that she last saw her father alive between two and half -past. She asked her father why he did not hurry up and go to town. Her father was in unusually good spirits throughout yesterday. When sho heard the report of the pistol she went outside to ascertain the cause. This would be about five minutes after she had spoken to her father. When in the backyard she heard a second shot, and a bullet shot passed her. Her sister Muriel was with her at this time. Witness did not see anything of her father, but upon searching the grounds found him in the orchard lying partly on his side with blood oozing from his mouth. Deceased was not quite dead, but appeared to be unconscious. Her reason for thinking her father was not dead was because the body was warm and he was making a gurgling noise. He must have remained in this condition for about seven or eight minutes. She saw a revolver on the ground. She was aware that her father kept a revolver, but could not say that tho one produced was his. She saw the letter (produced) which wrfs either in her father's hand or on the ground by his side. She had no reason to believe that deceased contemplated taking his life. By the Coroner : Her father had of late been very forgetful, and this had been particularly the case during the last fciv weeks. She was aware that her father had been * drinking of late, as he often Buffered from its effects. At this stage Sergeant Black stated that he did not propose to make public the letters left by deceased, as they were mainly of a private character. Dr Hughes deposed to being telephoned for between the hours of two and three o'clock on Saturday afternoon to attend deceased at his residence. When he an i ved 1 at the house he was taken to the orchard, where he saw the body of deceased. The latter was lying on his "back, and there was blood issuing from his mouth and cais. I • There was an extensive wound in the I roof of the mouth, where, no doubt, some missile had entered. The brain had also been penetrated. There was a hole in the vault of tho skull where the missile must have emerged. Death must have been painless and immediate. Sergeant Black : Would a bullet from a revolver like this have caused the wound . Witness : Yes, that is just what would have caused it. Sergeant Black : From the nature of the wound would you say that it was .selfinflicted ? Witness : Yes, it must have been fired at very close quarters. Sergeant Black deposed that about a quarter to three on Saturday afternoon he received a telephone message from Makaraka stating that tho deceased (Mr Richardson) had shot himself and was not quite dead. Witness at once pioccedoil to deceased's residence to nuke enquiries. Witness found the body of the deceased in the orchard, and assisted to carry it to the room where it now lay. Dei-eased li.ul no coat on. Witness searched the pockets of the clothes that he wore, and fmnid a bunch of keys, a knife, a boy of matches, and a scrap of paper. Witness was told by Miss Richardson that the paper contained a list of articles that (Vici-i'd was to have bought in Gisboruethat afternoon. The revolver produced was h.mdeil („ witness by Miss Inez: Richardson, ltw.is a five-chambered revolver, and was in the same coi^ition then as when he iccehed it. Two of the chambers had been di-. charged and the otheis were loaded. Tinletters produced were al<<, handed t<i witness by Miss Inez Richardson. J!,,th were addressed to .Mrs lVlham Kii-h.inl-.on and had been opened. Mr.-- Kicluid.-on nnd her daughters were opposed to n\ lines-. looking at the lettei.s, .sutu.g that the doenments contained only private matters. Witness agreed to put lioth letter-, in one envelope and band them to the Coroner, who would decide as to whether they were' to be read at the inquest or not* The Coroner had read the letter.-. ,md illumed them to witness, who also lead them. Jle could sec from their contents tli.il they contained only private nuttcis, and n'u good would result in making them jinbli,-. From the content.')' of the lettei.s it appealed that deceased had made previous attempts upon his life but without viicce-s. Dlvc.kccl jn one letter staled thai hr, tilav; t lit* previous week had been c.m-ul by the ua'

that he had taken ten doses of chloral. This he (deceased) thought would have been sutlieient to have killed a bullock, but unfortunately it had only given him a. particularly good night's rest and made him a hit weak. Deceased further stated that lie had once before taken a whole bottle of cholordyne with the same result, and ho was now "going to try cold lead. The jury without retiring brought in the following 'verdict: "That deceased commitied suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind.''