INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13635, 14 April 1908, Page 5

INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE OF INSAjfeZ. *?'/ \ •«• ■- __ \ _. " *v M ,£■ - * t - : c- ~ Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, April 13.* 'The inquest- concerning the death of the- victims of the Crinarfc Street tragedy was concluded tfiis ovenihg. V--, . ..Archibald "McLean, city missionary*, said he had, opportunity of dbr serving Baxter's relations with bis family, and would say they were, a' hagpjr family. Baxter was not basty-teih.-pered, and witness had never heard angry words; < Baxter had been ill/for about a month. • • ■ ■' Dr/Ew art described the wounds. H» said insane people were liable to impulses of such force* as, to be irresistible. There* might or' might' not^lbe feigns of intellectual- aberration. . The ■chief feature of disorder was impulse to destroy, and that might not be controlled. . ' • .'.>■>• v , George McCarter, employed in fiax- | ter's shop arid nursery, said thai- on \ the -Monday .preceding the tragedy' . \ Baxter was pale and; very quiet, ana seemed in a low, and weak state. He seemed depressed for about a fortnight^ At 8 p.m. on Tiijßsday( the n^eht of thptragedy) he went to Baxter's nouse iat instructions. He- saw*- Mrs Baxter, *rbff tookihis message to_Baxter, and baclc replies. She said' Baxter's head' ( was bad. , V .-' , ■ C~ . Margaret Mcßobie. .who had nursed^ HSlrs Baxteif through her recent illness^ said- that Baxter was kind to his fanjff ily, but for a fortnisit before withes* left the house he had been complainink of pains in the head. Witness thougltt? him f ar from sane. He would lie w bed^alTday, sometimes go out for jte part' of the day toftd. then come hpin% 'aMd-'gOi -fobbed,, * During this fortniAfe lie seemed miserable, ajdd ate Uttle. Ouw night he took a bottle of lapdanujv from wittiess'sh worn, and. .when, askew to. return ii he said ijhe bottle had bsw |/ broken. \\. ' 1~'.~.-, T, - n 'The fury found that James Reift Baxter committed suicide while suffei k big from impulsive . insanity^ and £h«tt the <$her' victims met their aeatn-w " The police w,«jre % specially commenaed for their action/ in the emergency v