SUICIDE'S DELUSION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 115, 20 June 1914, Page 3

SUICIDE'S DELUSION.

AN AMATEUR SHERLOCK HOLMES. The strange delusions of the young man who shot himself in the Strand last month were described at the inquest. The dead man was Harold Walter Grote, aged twenty-six, an engineering student at London University. He was married, and lived in apartments at Mornington Crescent. The widow said they had been married about two years. Following the theft of her bicycle in November last and its ultimate recovery after her husband had recognised it being ridden at Shepherd's Bush, he started out to find the thieves. He began to watch a certain shop which he thought was connected with the affair, and also followed a lady and gentleman on his bicycle to Highgate. Afterwards he told her that he called to the man to stop, whereupon the latter put his hand to his pocket to throw pepper into his eyes. The Coroner:. Had he been reading a lot of sensational stories? —No, all his books were scientific ones. . Did he go to the kinematograph?— He went very often. And saw detective pieces? —Yes. The Coroner: You,are bound to see some detective pieces. "Holines-ing."

Tlie following letter written by Grote to his father in Hanover, but never posted, was read by the coroner: — Dear Daddv, —Been doing detective work lately. " Traced <' Phil's'' Hiunber lost last November, you remember, and restored it to its rightful owner with the help of a C.I.D. sergeant. It is A-cry little the worse for wear. After that I • did some more " Holmes-ing" (a reference to Sherlock Holmes), and am now hard on the track of a gang that seems worth catching. To ajT appearances they are well organisecu Part of their business is

cycle and probably motor stealing, '.lust escaped having a handful of sneezing .powder in my eyes whilst in pursuit in broad daylight iu Archway Road, Highgate. Don't be alarmed. Trust me to be careful. ■•■ All particulars later. Ever vour most loving son, . HAROLD. Replying to the coroner, the widow said that the next day about ten o'clock her husband came home and put his linger on his lips as a sign for her to speak quietly. lu> : told, her that the gang was a tremendous one and that he was Unsafe and must get out of the country at once. The Solution. The gang, he said, numbered at'least 400,'and'that he had tried to get to Scotland Yard to lay information, but was followed wherever he went. lie seemed to think the house was .full of thieves, and every time a step was heard he would "That is another. How many more?" He thought people were congregating in the next room. They both went out that -night, her husband loading his pistol. At midnight they were at Charing Cross, but he would not enquire about a train because he said that the gang would know him.

HtsPwould uot go home and eventually after some trouble they managed to put up at an hotel. On Saturday morning her husband was still under the delusion that he was being followed.

They got to a tea shop at' Charing Cross, but he wouldnot go in, because lie said it was full of "the -people."

Suddenly he exclaimed, "At last T have a solution of. the whole thing! " and shot himself through the head. ifcplying to the coroner, the witness added that she and her husband had lived very happily together. In the man's pockets wore found telegraphic forms addressed to his father. One'read, "Can you possibly come at once? My safety is at stake. Address Scotland Yard."

Another was: "Do come at once. My safety at stake. Wire arrival Carlton Hotel." A verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned.

visiting physician, Dr Martin W. Eeddan, decided to operate by removing part of the skull to see if there had been a splinter of bone driven in at the time he received the blow on the head, so that it pressed upon the brain. The operation was performed, the splinter of bone was found and removed, thus, relieving the pressure, and, as the patient was coming out of ether, the attendants were astounded to hear him utter fragments of the English language, which, since he had come to prison, no one had ever heard him speak. "The doctor and all the prison authorities were wonderfully surprised to .find'that, instead of the brute features and expression of before the operation, 'the man now exhibited a bright, kindly, humane countenance, quite intelligent, and has since shown one of the kindest and sweetest dispositions to be found anywhere. "He was constantly helping everybody, doing little things |ot the other prisoners' comfort, and working with perfect obedience and cheerfulness, so that everybody, prisoners and authorities alike, hnve : become .-particularly fond of him."