The Late Suicide in Wellington.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1895, 11 October 1886, Page 3

The Late Suicide in Wellington.

Ad irqucst was hr Id on Friday last on *,lk> • body ol William Eivin, who committed >:ui cide by bunging himself. Bridget Ellen Kirin, widow of deaceascd, deposed that her husband bad carried on a fruiterer'a shop in Cuba street lor 12 months The business had not paid, and her husband bad lost £75 since ba flommeneed. Ha took this very Boeb fo heart. Witness saw nothin;; •teanga about his manner on the day before newaa found dead. Deceased always got up ■bent 4 o'clock in the morniog, and did so on Friday owning. Witness beard him joltig down stairs and into the street, and newd him return an hear or so later on, wnea be chopped tome wood for the ire. Witoees came down stairs at about 20 mins to 7, and not seeing her husband, became alarmed, and called Mr Barrows, who weat into the shed, and alter a long absence Maned and a aid “ Its a ease of pickles ; lally’i dona away with himself; be has hanged himself.” Witness asked bun to cut her husband down, but he would not, saying hs daren't touch him till the police saw him. " lrro * l than want away. Witness went fM wd mv bsi buibwd kicking, sod wsst

for Mr Raven, who out him down. It was three quarters: of an hour after she told Borrows to ont the body down till Mr Baven came and ont the rope. I tie jury returned a verdict of suicide while in a state of Temporary . Insanity. The following rider was added:—“Thejury are of opinion that the man Alexander Burrows deserves severe censure for his conduct iu refusing, when called upon by Mis Elvin, to cut down the body of deceased.” Since the inquest Mr Burrowes has written a letter explaining that when he saw deceased banging be bad no knife, and ran to tell bis wife ; he then ran to Gear’s shop, when Mr Baven went in and cut the body down. All this did not occupy five or six minutes. The doctor was on the spot in fifteen minutes, and be stated that life must have been extinct three quarters of an hour. Burrowes says that Mrs Elrin’s statement is erroneous from beginning to end and much exaggerated.