TRAGIC SUICIDE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XVII, Issue 5647, 20 June 1919, Page 3

TRAGIC SUICIDE

JAPANESE MERCHANT DROWNS HIMSELF. DROPS FROM PORT-HOLE.

Mr Tadashi Oka be, a Japanese merchant, well known in Sydney, who was a first-class passenger on board R.M SNiagara, committed suicide by jumping overboard on April 28, while mentally deranged. Details now to hand state that Mi. Okabc was a director of the Masada Trading Company, Yokohama, and was ; returning to Japan alter a business , visit to Austral'in. He was a highly ! educated man. He spoke Enghsn , fluently, and was a cultured talker on i any subject. Ho was much distressed j by the long detention on board the ship | at Auckland, and afterwards at Motniln j Island, and mentioned that m consequence of the delay he would miss the connecting steamer for Japan, which he had arranged to travel by from Honolulu. While he was very bright and m 1-good spirits up to arrival at Auckland, | lie became very depressed afterwards. Unusually hot weather was experienced through the tropics, and Mr Okahe remained in Ivs cabin nearly all the time, scarcely over appearing on dec!;, though repeatedly urged to do so by his fellow passengers. After leaving I'iji it was apparent from his demeano,- and conduct that his mind was seriously affected. Two members of the crow were 1 detailed to watch him, but ho succeeded j |in eluding them on the r.i'-tcruoon oi April 28 for a tew minutes. He entered a bathroom near his cabin and climbed through the porthole, dropping into the sea. The alarm was given, and everything was done that was possibles A boat was manned and swung out wb.de the ship steamed slowly in a circl'e round -•the spot whore lie,had disappeared. The captain and odiccrs swept the sea with powerful glasses, but the uuim-. lunate man was not seen again, and niter the search bad been continued <or one hour the Niagara was pul on her course again. The tragic incident occurred when the vessel was within two days’ steaming of Honolulu.