Suicide at Loburn.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5012, 21 May 1889, Page 2

Suicide at Loburn.

SHOCKING OCCURRENCE. Last Saturday a distressing case of suicide under temporary mental derangement took place at Loburn, the deceased being Mrs Polhill, wife of Mr F. Polhill, of the Loburn station. Having got up early she entered a room almost separate from the remainder of the house, used as an office, where, loading a gun, she placed it on a table with the butt lodged against the window silly and tho muzzle in the direction of her body, and after tho discharge of the piece she was found on the floor with her dress burning, and a mortal wound caused by small shot on the left side and her arm on that side severely lacerated. The room was a small one, and tho marks of the shot were seen on tho walls. The deceased lived about five hours after the affair, and was sensible to the last. The following particulars were elicited at the inquest held yesterday (Sundiy) before C. Whitefoord, Coroner, and a jury, of which Mr William De Troy was foreman : Francis Polhill, husband of deceased, said they had been married twenty-seven years. The deceased hud been in a nervous depressed state for five or six months. Her illusions were that she had been sinning by tolling untruths, and that tho Almighty would deny her forgiveness. She had been attended by i Dr Tweed at Ashburton some mouths back, and more recently by Dr Clayton at Rangiora Deceased was residing with witness’ eldest son when she consulted Dr Tweed. Witness had not seen Dr Tweed us to the matter of the consultation which took place. Dr Clay ton had only seen her professionally on one occasion, and expressed the opinion that if deceased got any worse witness should get a qualified nurse, but not to sond her from homo. In the company of strangers deceased talked quite as sanely ns anyone would do. She never exhibited the slightest homicidal tendencies, was always gentle, never violent on any occasion.

On Saturday they were without a servant. One had left, and another was to come that tnorniug. Miss Polhill got up to attend to the house duties. Deceased was usually wakeful towards morning, and on Saturday morning was awake from two till four, when she slept for about an hour, and got up about seven o’clock, saying that she w'ould help her daughter to get breakfast. Witness remained in the bedroom after her for about half an hour. lie was dressed all but waistcoat and coat when ho beard a noise of a smothered report, then a fall, and a cry. lie ran into the passage, and asked Miss Polhill what the noise was. Ho went round to the room used by him as an ojlice, which had an outside door. The door was open. The deceased was lying upon the floor. He saw instantly slue had shot herself, as her dress was on fire along the left side. The room was full of smoko and (he gun was lying on the table in the position as viewed by the jury. Witness extinguished the smouldering fire, and put his Land on the wound in the endeavour to staunch the blood. His daughter who had called the man followed him. They forced open an inside door which had been locked, leading to the office from the house, and laid the deceased on a mattress, carrying her into the bedroom. They sent at once for medical aid. She asked once for something to relieve the pain, as well as made some incoherent remarks about her illusions. She made no statement to him of having committed the deed hereelf. Dr Clayton arrived in wonderfully quick time, namely, in about two hours from the time he was sent for, reaching the house at 10 a.m. Deceased was alive when he arrived. After examination of the wound he gave as his opinion that it was mortal, and said that the case was hopeless. Deceased survived up to 1 p.m. before death took p’ace, Till within the last few months deceased had not previously shown any signs that hsr mind was unhinged. The gun was kept unloaded and hanging in slings upon the office wall j the cartridges were loose on the mantleshelf. Deceased always was afraid of firearms, and would not go near them. Ho had no idea that she knew how to unfasten a breech-loading gun or to load it. But for the hallucination her mind was very clear. Mrs Bnrwell was sent for when the man was despatched for the doctor, and she arrived immediately, remaining with deceased till she died. From the position in which deceased lay in the office he should say she bad been standing sideways and with the butt of the gun resting on a table against the window sill. Had pulled the trigger to shoot at her heart. She lay with her head towards the door, tho gun remaining on the table pointing m that direction, with shot marks on the wall behind her.

Ann Jano Lambert Harwell deposed she was the wife of Mr George Harwell. 1 Ley resided about three-quarters of a mile from Loburn station. She was in the habit of nursing. On Saturday morning was sent for about 8.30 am. and reached the station at nine o’clock. Deceased was lying on the bed wounded in her side. She was fully dressed except her stays. She cut away the parts of her dress from the wound while Mr Polhill held the side. There was a large wound above the hip and another nearer the ribs, both in the abdomen, and a bad wound on deceased’s left forearm, between the el tow wrist. The wound on the hip was jagged, the smaller one above it being more like a bullet wound. These bled a good deal but the bleeding seemed to bo most inside. The flesh on tbe arm seemed to be blown off and the dross sleeve was much burned. All the dollies smelt strongly of powder. The doctor came about fen o’clock and said the injuries were mortal. The wounds ho said had been caused by a gun, Deceased was quite sensible. She knew witness but did not give any explanation how it had occurred beyond making an observation that it was on account of some pains in her mind. She died about 1 p.m., the doctor remaining in attendance till she expired. Witness had known deceased about three and a half years, and was with her on the Friday previous, when she observed that there was something strange in her maimer, but nothing to show that degeased required restraint. John Hunt, employed as ploughman by Mr Polhill, stated last Saturday morning he was called by Miss Polhill about eight o’clock, and went round to Mr Polhill’s office, where he saw Mr, Mrs, and Miss Pqlhill there. He noticed that Mrs Polhill was wounded in the left side. They said she had shot herself. Be went for a mattress, and Mr Polhill and witness carried deceased to her room. Witness then went to Eangiora for the doctor. He did not see deceased alive again. He had known deceased for three years on the station. Had noticed deceased had a strange manner for a few months past. Deceased was sensible when they carried ner into the bedroom, but only asked for a drink, saying she was thirsty. Deceased was lying in the office on her side, with her head towards the door.

Constable Costin stated Dr Claytoninformed him ho had asked deceased her reason for the act, when she said she had been a groat sinner, and thought she had been deceiving people. The jury found that deceased had died from a gunshot wound self-inflicted while temporarily out of her mind. They also wished to express tho opinion that her husband and family had done everything to take care of her, and that there was apparently no reason to place her under restraint.