SUICIDE OF J. A. HOOPER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4162, 23 August 1881, Page 3

SUICIDE OF J. A. HOOPER.

Hoarding the euicido ai, Du"c Wn, Mr JT. l\ Hydcswritos to us:— "ln jin;- telegram hearifid 'An Actor's Fate,' f ore is a inisbke, which, for the sake of those personally interested, I hope you will notify. As regards destitution, Mrs Hooper lia) not been absent a work, and left v.iii deceased a sum of money :nore than eunu-icnt for his weekly expenses, and waß preparing to remit more this morning, and, furthermore, the lady has uuprorted the family by her own untiring exertions for toroe months. At to want of employment. — Heir Band mann offered him an engagement lit. tho current rales of salary, and co did Messrs Hamilton and Willie, but for some reason unknown, both offers we/c rofused, Tl.ui it will b? seen that, whatever the causa of the sad act, no blame can pos.ibly foil on thoEe who are left, and most sincerely nioura his untimely fate." Tho Duneain Herald gives the following particulars of the suicide : — " What appears to have been a vory determined case of suicide occurred on Saturday last, tho vjotim. being tho late well-known actor Mr Junies A. Hooper. Wo aro unable to furnish full particulars of tho unfortunate occurrence, as the City Coroner declined to furnish our reporter with a letter which had been written by the deceased shortly before his death. * The Owner thinks that t.be documci-t should bs withhold from publication u/.til the inquest, which is fixed for to-morrow morning, shall havo been held. It appears from what we can learn that Mr H coper was residing with ft aian namod Joseph Charles Farquh&rson, in a house Mtuatod in Regent terraco, off Filleul etroet. At 5.50 p.m. on Saturday, Ifarquhmvon entered the house and found on the table a note written by the dcce.isod, and which, ticcording U> r. current report, contained the following lacmio statement — ' You will find me in the coal-house.' Farquha-eon lost no time in proceeding to the cosl house adjoining hiß residence, and discovered the deceased actor suspended by a strong pieca of jopo, which had been i-iuced round hh neck and affixed to si bum of tho shed. Hooper had apparently bound his leg* near tho bootß with a ?.!|>s, and Wb hands with a muffler, and ths tips of his boots were touching the floor. 'Farquhr.rson immediately gave information to tho police, and the body of tho deceased was cut down by Constable Lyes. In the meantime Dr Martin had been Eummouetl to attend, and on his arrival ho examined thu body and pronounced that life had been «> struck several hours. For some time past the deceased had beiti out of regular employment. If wo remember rightly, Hooper's iaet appearance on the atage was as Horutio in ' Hnmlet,' during Mr W. H. Leake's engagement at the Princess Theatre. The deceased is supposed to have been in pecuniary difficulties. His widow, whose norn de theatre is Miss Brssio Vivian, is now playinz with a dramatic company in Chriotchurdi. Far^nharson states that the deceased hat! of tun declared that lie would end his trouh « quickly."