EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

Western Star, Issue 997, 7 November 1885, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

An inquest, has been held in Wellington on a young German named Schmoranz, who committed suicide, principally it would seem, because ho was disappointed by the non-arrival of a remittance he was expecting from his father in Germany. Some very extraordinary evidence was given by Mrs Strike, wife of a cordial manufacturer, for whom deceased was working. Shestaled that Schmoranz formerly res'ded in witness’s boarding house in Courtney place. He appeared to be a clever young doctor, and bad prescribed on more than one occasion for witness. Up to the day of his death, deceased was in good spi its - About a week since deceased took some poison, bat lie did not inform her why he did 00, except, that he told her he “was practising.” He made a joke of the matter. On Monday he had dinner a little after noon, and was in excellent spirits. After dinner he held a little phial up to witness, and remarked that his money would be there at two o’clock. The bottle contained some white stuff and was quite full. He said it was poison. He told her he had been to Fitzgerald the lawyer, and that he would poison him (Fitzgerald) and himself too if Fitzgerald did not give him his money. Deceased stated to witness that Mr Fitzgerald held a bank draft in his (deceased's) favor. Schmoranz added that he had to go to Mr Fitzgerald’s office at two o’clock that day. Deceased, when he showed witness the bottle, took off the red label with his teeth, and would not allow witness to see where the poison had been purchased. Schmoranz then went into his bedroom, and witness, fearing ho would do himself harm, followed him and saw him with some white substance in the palm of his hand. Ho told witness that he had got the poison, which he said was strychnine, from Mr Mee, chemist. The reason ho assigned for taking the poison was that he liked to see the long faces they pulled. He then came into thekitehen, and, in the presence of herself and Mr and Mrs Monk, he swallowed the poison. Witness then went into the drug room of the factory, and informed Mr Strike of what had occurred. Deceased, after saying “ You’ll find a letter somewhere,” added “I am going to Fitzgerald and will come hack and show you tho money,” Deceased then left the house. Witness and the Monks thought the man was joking and would soon return. About half-an-hour after Schmoranz left the house her husband returned, and almost simultaneously Mr Tuskin arrived and informed them he had picked up deceased, who was in a fit, in Cambridge terrace. Deceased was pressed for u.oney, and gave her husband a cheque, drawn in favour of Mr G. A. Strike, some days ago, for £450, which was dishonoured. The cheque was for money owed to Mr Strike and other persons. The coroner, in summing up, remarked that it seemed to him a most cool, if not callous, proceeding on the part of those persons who saw the deceased take the poison, and who also eaw it on Lis tongue. No doubt Mr Strike, feeling he had been wronged by the deceased, was disgusted. The jury could, if they felt disposed, add a verdict to this effect. The jury found a verdict that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.