SUICIDE IN MANGUTOKI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 80, 16 November 1911, Page 3

SUICIDE IN MANGUTOKI.

A VICTIM OF JNSOAINIA. A SELF-INF JjICTED CUN-SHOT WOUND. An inquest touching the death of John Wright, tanner, of Mangatoki, was held Tuesday at the residence of Mr Edwin Wright, Eltliam, before Air A, Ale Carry, J.R. (acting coroner). Dr Harrison, who made an eXtuninatioil of the body, deposed to finding a wound ill the skull that might hare been caused by a Indict entering the skull from above, which would shatter the brain and cause death. Frank Arthur Fitness, farm hand, Alangatoki, deposed that at about 7.J0 a.in. on the Kith instant he saw a man, whom ho was positive was deceased, hurrying along the road at a very quick walk—lie was just crossing the culvert close to Air J. Hair’s, on the lower Hunter Road. Witness assisted Constable Wade to take the body from the culvert in the vicinity of where he first saw deceased. That would be about 11 a.m. Constable Wade gave evidence that from information received he went to the creek which flows across the road on the Hunter Road close to Mr J. Hair’s property. ’There ho saw the body of deceased lying in the creek on the south side of the road. The body was in about two feet of water and completely covered. The body was lying on its back with the head upstream. The revolver produced was loosely clasped in the right hand and on getting the body ashore witness found that' the revolver was attached to the coat with, a piece of string. There were live shells in the revolver, one of which had been recently discharged. He found what appeared to be a bullet wound just above the temple on the right side. There was a slight bruise inside the right knee, but no other marks. There were mar ks on the south side of the river, where deceased had apparently entered the water. Deceased appeared to have sat down and shot himself. Edwin Wright, brother of the deceased, deposed that at (j.JO on the morning of the 13th ho took a book into deceased’-s bedroom and found that he had not occupied the bed. Knowing that deceased suffered from sleeplessness witness thought that he had gone out for a walk before breakfast, and as ho did not return by breakfast time he examined his box to see if he had left any word of his whereabouts. In searching the box lie found a letter (produced). The letter, written by deceased, was to the effect that he hardly got any sleep at night and it seemed, to be affecting his mind, so he intended firing a bullet into his head while in the creek by the roadside near Air Hair’s house. On finding the letter witness went to the spot indicated and saw deceased in the creek. He went to Eltham and informed the . police. His brother had not been ill in any way and was quite rational, but had been troubled with sleeplessness for several years. 'flic jury- returned a verdict that deceased came to his death through a gun shot wound self-inflicted during a period of temporary insanity caused by insomnia.—“ Argus.”