A STRANGE SUICIDE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1995, 16 January 1890, Page 1

A STRANGE SUICIDE.

A man from Australia, by name Francis Sumnar Rose, committed suicide recently in a truly remarkable manner. He was living in lodgings in Greenwich, and as he did not come down one morning his landlady went up, and found him dead on the floor. The police were called in, and in a box was found the following statement, which is so extraordinary that it is given in full East Greenwich, 6th November, 1889 (the figure 6 had evidently been written subsequent to the other portion of the letter). —This is to certify that I, Francis Sumnar Rose, have committed suicide by swallowing an overdose of strong i urkey opium, and that no persons in this bouse, or any other, have had either hand ob act, or part, directly or indirectly, in my destruction. The whole business is my own. Mv reason tor committing suicide is because I have ruined myself with the cursed horseracing. I had made a fair little fortune at the game for years and years ;but easily got easily spent, until at last I have lost all, I cannot brace up my mind to go back to Australia to my friends and a comfortable home, although I have got the offer several times from a few friends in London to procure a passage and outfit for me on loan of six months’ sight. But when I come to think the matter over, no, I would sooner face death ; yes, even twice over again. I have tried to accept the offer, but my mind would not listen to it on any account, so I must now throw up the sponge, considering the most decent style of destroying my life. I applied strong opium as the best means, as I always detested those beastly methods of suicide, such as shooting, throat catting, drowning, and all the rest ; but, of course, I am well aware that all forms of suicide are bad enough. But I now think that this style of destroying life is the best, as it is the most decent, cleanest, and quietest style that I know of. Now, having a fair knowledge of this mighty drug and its effects, I have swallowed the contents of this box, containing 370 of those opium pellets, minus thirty-five, which I am well aware is more than ten times the amount required to kill an adult person. But to be doubly sure of my end, I have taken this extraordinary amount of opium. My object for taking this amount is to lull all pain, so, as you can understand, I will actually die with apoplexy, leaving the world, in a sleep of peace, without pain, ache, or sigh. Now, to assist the coroner and the jury to give their verdict, I have taken these means—namely, I have put a sample of the opium I have already taken, I have put that into two tin boxes, enclosed in two wooden boxes; I have posted them at two different offices in London from my lodgings at 49 Devonshire road, East Greenwich. I have taken this precaution in order that the jury may see that no other party had any handling of this drug but myself. Now the Coroner’s jury will have very little doubt in this matter—that is, I think so—that Francis Sumnar Rose did kill himself by swallowing an overdose of strong Turkey opium, with his own hand and free will, knowing the same to be far more than doubly sufficient to cause death. Signed, this 6th day of November, 1889, Francis Sumnar Rose, On another paper was written—“ Notes for the Coroner’s jury—l request that the jury will give orders lor the destruction of this mighty drug, as it may fall int© the hands of some person not acquainted with its effects. Notice—Let the jury compare the

letter addressed to the Coroner with all papers found in my bedroom, and they will see that all the handwriting is mine.”