"ONLY WAY OUT"

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 56, 4 May 1928, Page 5

"ONLY WAY OUT"

DETERMINED SUICIDE. SYDNEY, April 18. John Herbert Whalan, 4/, a married man, with, a wife and two children, residing at Lidcombe, was iound dead in a paddock near Tarana on Saturday. A double-barrelled gun lay across the body. Evidence, at tue inquest at Oberon to-day revealed a determined case 1 of suicide. Deceased, who was spending a few days with hi* brother, had placed the niuazle of the gun in his mouth, and bis head had been almost blown off. Nailed to the door of a hut in the paddock was a note in the deceased 's handwriting, and (addressed to his. brother, which read: "I am going to d 0 away with myself. 1 hope you will forgive me, as I have prayed to God to forgive me. It is the only way out of it. I know where All' keeps* his gun. I have had my mind made up since I woke thjis morning. Don't blame. Alt'. 1 am writing this under the willows near the camp." The gun belonged to Alfred Webb, and was taken from the hut owned by him. A verdict of; suicide w<as recorded.