HAWERA MAN'S SUICIDE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 90, 25 March 1936, Page 5

HAWERA MAN'S SUICIDE.

Ghastly Action When Visited By Police. DEATH IN FEW MINUTES. Suicide by cutting his ti.roat was cemmitted by a Hawora man, Mr Benjamin Speight, yesterday • immediately after he had agreed to accompany two police officers to the police station.

Detective Kearney, who with Cod stable Donovan, was the officer con coined, stated at an inquest yesterday that Speight was not in custody on diiy charge. The police had called to interview him and had no authority to search him. Ho was not awaro that Speight had in his possession a razor. it wes not until afterwards that the police learned that Speight had previously threatened to take his life. When the police called at Speight's house, the detective stated, Speight agreed to go to the station and then, with the detective's permission, wen into an outhouse. Half a minute later witness heard a swishing sound, and rushing into the huilding, found Speight in a sitting position with a gash across his throat and a razor lying at his feet. Dr. W. M. Thompson was hurriedly called in, and on his arrival a few minutes later pronounced life extinct.