SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14339, 2 July 1917, Page 3

SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.

ATTEMPT TO MURDER WIFE. At an inquest into the circumstances surrounding tlie death of Captain H. W. Sleddon, the evidence of Mrs Sleddon was to the effect that relations between her husband and herself had been strained for some time. During 'the last few 'weeks she had been living- apart from him, and. had recently obtained a:reparation ordier. She returned home to take possession of her personal effects, and' •while thus engaged. Sleddon quietly entered the room where she was and" fired a shot at her from behind, the chai'ge passing through her hat. She turned •round and saw her husband about to fire a second shot at her. ; To avoid tlie missile she held a flower 'bowl m front of her, and- cautiously approached to within a couple of feet of him, and then threw her arms around him and implored himi not to shoot her. She then accompanied him into Another room., where he endeavored to get her to drink a pecuHiar-cplored mixture m a cup. She refused to drink this, and intimated her willingness to come back and live with him again. The deceased replied tiiat it was too late, as the police would 4iear of his deed and lock him tip. He said he proposed to shoot himself. Mrs*. Sled-, don. seized a- favorable opportunity and nished out of the house. Shortly afterwards she heard the report of a gunshot and fta/ve the alarm to a neighboring farmer, who" entered the hoiwe and found Sleddon lying on the bedroom floor with the top of his head blown off and a double-barrelled gun on the floor beside him. Constable Oloary produced a. letter addressed to himself, *" which he found m decea-sed's pocket. Th the letter the unfortunate man wrote : "Tilings have come to such a pass that I can stand it no longer." He added that life without his wife and children was unbearable, and he hated to think what would become of his children,- as they would have a hard life m front of them.. He suggested that they should 1 be placed m some Church, of England home. Tlie concluding sentence was: "Wishing you good-hye, I anu just out of my mind." Tlie constable jsaid the reference' to the care, 'of the children pliih'v showed that Sleddon intended to kill his wife 'before takintr his own life. A verdict was retimed that deceased had 'committed suicide while suffering from mental derangement.