INQUEST AT OHAUPO.

Waipa Post, Volume III, Issue 111, 17 May 1912, Page 2

INQUEST AT OHAUPO.

An inquest was held at Ohaupo on Tuesday morning, before Mr J. B. Teasdale, coroner, to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the death of William Spencer Thirwald Morton, aged years, who met his death through taking a dose of carbolic acid on Monday morning. Charles Richards, manager of Messrs Green and Colebrook's store at Ohaupo, said deceased had been employed there for about twelve months, as accountant. He last saw him about 9 a.m. on Monday morning, when he came to work in his usual health and spirits. Witness left to go to Huntly a little later, and in the afternoon when he returned Morton was dead. The books and cash were absolutely correct. Deceased enjoyed the confidence of the firm, and was very temperate in his habits. As far as witness knew he had no secret troubles, and he could assign no reason for Morton's act.

Emma Edwards, saleswoman at Green and Colebrook's, stated that deceased arrived at the store at the usual hour. Shortly after 8 o'clock he mentioned that he was sick of the work, but she did not heed the remark as he was of a jocular nature. She told him he was silly to say such a thing. A moment' later she saw him near the office door, when he took a bottle from the shelf and drank from it in front of her. She did not realise what he was doing or what he had taken, until a few seconds later, when another assistant called out that Morton had taken something and asked her to come quickly. The liquid which was running from Morton's mouth she detected to be carbolic acid. They gave him mustard and water to drink, and im-

mediately rang up Dr Henderson, of this town. Deceased appeared a little despondent before he committed the act, and seemed to have become possessed of an idea that nobody cared anything for him. She did not think he

had the slightest intention of taking his life, but that he took down the bottle on the impulse of the moment, and had partaken of its contents before he really knew what he was doing. He was always up to " larks," and she felt sure that he drank the

carbolic more to give them a scare than anything else, hot quite realising what be had done. Oliver Charles Garrett, baker at the store, said that he entered the shop in response to a call. He there saw Morton, who was still conscious, and he asked

witness to remember him to his father and mother, remarking also that he had reasons for committing the act. Patrick James O'Halloran.shop assistant, said Morton appeared in his usual spirits when he arrived at the shop. Sometime later when witness went into the second room, Morton held out his hand and said "Goodbye." Witness took no notice at the

moment, but noticing a peculiar pallor on his face, he asked him what he had done. He called the other assistants and administered restoratives. Deceased left a slip of paper on the office desk,

containing the following words : —Goodbye, dear mother, love and kisses to you all; could not help it." Morton was the last person he would have expected to do such a thing, as he was usually so bright spirited. James David Sutton, with whom Morton had boarded for the past

eight months, said he knew of no cause why deceased should have taken his life. He appeared to be a little tired of the monotony of the place, which was very quiet, and possessed few attractions for a young man. Medical evidence was given by Dr Henderson, who said Morton was in an advanced state of collapse when he arrived. He endeavoured to restore him, but his efforts were of no avail. About two ounces of carbolic had been consumed, and he was of opinion that the self-administration of this was the cause of death. Deceased consulted witness about two months ago regarding a slight touch of dyspepsia, from which he had entirely recovered. He appeared to be of a sensitive nature and rather inclined to be morbid. A verdict was returned that deceased met his death through a dose of carbolic acid, seU-ad-ministered while temporarily insane.