LEVELS FATALITY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, 17 July 1930, Page 9

LEVELS FATALITY.

MAN SHOOTS HIMSELF. A Coroner’s inquest was held at the Levels yesterday into the circumstances Surrounding the death of Robert John Thomas Dickson Searles, who was found dead outside his residence with a wound in his left temple and a pea rifle lying beside him, shortly before one o’clock on Tuesday.* Constable Perniski represented the Police Department. Mary Anne Charlotte Searles, in evidence, said she was the wife of the deceased. On Tuesday her husband Was in his usual good health and was about the house, all the forenoon. He was getting his car ready to go to St. Andrews next day. He had to do up a mill there. They had their dinner at 12 o’clock, and he ate a good hearty meal. He did not show any signs of depression of any kind. Witness left her husband to feed some fowls, and When she returned she heard the shot of a rifle. “I called out,” what are you shooting. Tom?’ I then went round to the front of the house and found him lying dead,” said witness. He had no financial worries so far as she knew. The Coroner: Did he discuss his financial affairs, with you? Witness: Not exactly. The Coroner: Was there a mortgage on the place or anything like that? Witness: No, the place is clear. The Coroner: And you got on well together? Witness: Yes, we were always happy. The Coroner: And he never talked about anything like what happened? Witness: No. he did not. Continuing, witness said there could be no suggestion of any one else having done the shooting. Deceased was always shooting birds and was a great shot and topped all the hare drives. Further questioned by the Coroner, witness stated that the rifle was kept In the wardrobe in their bedroom, and was used chiefly for shooting birds At lunch time deceased asked her the date upon which the last heavy snowfall was experienced at Fairlie, and when she gave him the date he said, “Oh. well, we have plenty of time for a severe winter.” Charles William Harvey. retired farmer, resident at the Levels, said his home was next to deceased’s. Some time after 12.30 o’clock on Tuesday he a shot but took no notice al the time. Shortly afterwards he heard Mrs Searles calling out “Tom’s shot himself.” He hurried to the place ar.c found the man lying on his back There w r as a slight movement of the chest but otherwise there was no sigr of life. He sent a young nan tc telephone for a doctor. Nothing va* touched until the doctor and th< police arrived. He had known de ceased for three years, and luc spoken to him the previous morninf when he brought the paper from th< store. Deceased then appeared in hi usual normal condition. He had no spoken about his health not beinj good.

Dr Fraser said he was called to attend a man at fhe Levels at about a quarter past one on Tuesday. On arrival he found the body lving in front of the house with the barrel of a pea rifle pointing towards the left heel. There was a bullet wound above the left temple. The hair was scorched and the skin discnloured with powder. The exit wound was on the right, side of the head iust in from of the ear. Brain matter exuded. Blood came from the nose. There was no sign of any struggle having taken place. The wound was probably selfinflicted. The shot had been fired from very close range. The cause of death was laceration of the brain and fracture of the base of the skull caused by the bullet. The constable stated that there was a discharged cartridge shell in the rifle when it was examined. The Coroner returned the following verdict:—“l find that deceased died at the Levels near Timaru on the 15th of Julv, as a result rrf g rifle shot through the head, inflicted by himself.”