FINANCIALLY WORRIED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 78, 2 April 1938, Page 10

FINANCIALLY WORRIED

SUICIDE IN A QUARRY FORMER MAYOR OF SUMNER ( Per Pros Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, April 1. A statement that his father’s financial worries would have been substantial and that as far as he knew the estate was insolvent, was made this morning by Eric Pryce Newburgh, at the ocnclusion of the sitting of an inquest into the death of his fathe-i, Thomas Newburgh, a former Mayor of Sumner and well-known city sharebroker. Thomas Newburgh was found dead in his car in a quarry near Culverden, on March 15, and leading into the car from an exhaust pipe was a piece of hose, which had carried the deadly carbon monoxide gas into the machine, which had all but one of the windows closed. Mr H. A. Young, coroner, returned a verdict: “That Newburgh committed suicide on March 14, by inhaling carbon monoxiae gas/’ John Edward Tait said that he knew Newburgh. On March 15, at 9.40 a.m., he received the following telegram which read: Quarry Tuesday morning.—Tom.” Witness added that he did not know who the telegram was from and accordingly he communicated with the postmaster at Culverden where the telegram was received from. The postmaster informed him that the telegram was signed: “Thomas Newburgh,” on the back. He then rang Newburgh’s oilice and the dead man’s son told him his father was missing. Witness then asked a son, Ralph Leslie Newburgh, to come to his office and both then left for the quarry at Culverden. “On arrival at the quarry,” Tait declared, “I saw New burgh’s car in the quarry, and in the driver's seat I saw Newburgh. I found he was dead and it would appear death had taken place some hours previously.” Eric Pryce Newburgh, aged 27, a son of the dead man, and a member of the firm of Thomas Newburgh and Son, said he was in Sydney at th. 1 time of his father's death. “Since 1 returned home I took charge of the office and of my father's affairs," Newburgh went on. “My fatter did not leave any note about his office or at his home indicating his intention to take his life. I received a letter from my father about a week prior to his death and there was nothing in the letter to indicate that he was worried in any way. .On the contrary, the letter seemed to be written in a cheerful mood. I do not know that my father was suffering from nerves for a number of years and in my opinion the worries of business were just too much for him. 1 know now since I took charge of the business that his financial worries would be substantial. He did not confide in anyone that he had financial worries. As far as 1 know my father’s estate is insolvent and I have made application to the Supreme Court to have the estate administered in bankruptcy and the official assignee to take charge." Before giving his verdict, the coroner explained that he had taken evidence at Culverden on two previous occasions. A postal clerk gave evidence that a telegram was handed in to him on the evening of March 14. The man who handed it in did not seem to be excited, but seemed quite, normal. He asked that it should bo sent on the next morning, and that was done at nine o’clock.