A SAD AFFAIR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2312, 23 December 1889, Page 2

A SAD AFFAIR.

In FrldayV laane the fadUthafc :|Hr Q, EL Aehoroft, railway BUUoomEttter had ooram tted eulolde was brlt flj? mentioned. Following partioulars of the sad dream statuses mre taken from, tiie -report |of the inqueßt held on the aftorooon of the same day. George D»vie, verger of St Paul's pro aa'hedrsl and oare-Ukee of the Main Oouct «t the E*htbU(on, Jbe had been m the h»blt of going to ohurofffeariy, so as to get to »1» Exhibition, by.B o'clock. He went to the ohuroh at o" 30 this morn, ing uuaooompanled, and ea tared, by the front gate, near the parsonage, to the vestry door. Witnee« took his broom and went into the chanoel, and was sorprlsed just is he got In to see a msn lying down on the carpet. Witness thought ha was ailaep and shook him, and «aked - what ha was. doing there* He replied, ( I »m Aabovptt. Bring- me a drink. 1 Witness brought • glaaa cf water, whioh deoeaaed drank, raising himself up to do ho. He then lay down Rga'n saying, ! Don't tell anybody D&vle.' Wltneßß did not notice he was injured m auy way. Deoeaied then asked for a hassock or cushion for ho head, and to leave bins be a bit, and , wltrieas Went on with hla sweeping Half a hour after witness, bearing deoeased mosnlug and vomiting, went' to him, and aakad tf he bad not better get a o b and take him borne. Ha aa'd he was Id great pain, and did not want a cab. ..He then aaldj'Goand feloh Dc B*own, and toll him to fetch something that will kill my palo.' Witness went for tbe doo tor, siw him, and t?ld him Mr Ashoroft was lying ill m the chanoel of St Paul's Church, and delivered daceased'a message Witness returned lo the ohurch, and told deceased tho doctor would be there direotly. Witness went to move deceased, who said 1 Don't touch me, 1 and indicated that tbe pain was m bis left eiJa Dr Brown was a long time comin<r 7 and deceased said 1 Well, $v and fotch iioberts ; any doctor under tho circumstances ' Witacss went for Dr Roberts, a d found hj waa out' of town, and returned to the charoh jußt as Dr Brown arrived. The doctor felt deceased's pulao, and then Injected mcrpbia into the arm Witness then suspected Bomituing, and oi iookiog roand noticed the cushion iv front of the communion ra 1 raited as if something was uadar it. On lifting tho cnihion he fottod a revolver m a leather case, whioh he again coveted up. Witness thought th« doctor noticed the revolver. He told hiai. to stand by decaaa >d while ha wpnt to (he hospital for the ambulance. After the doctor left, witness asked Mr Aehcroft : ' Have you bhet yourself t and he s^id, « Yes.. Just uader the arm.' Witness then said, <My God ! What rn^de you do such a rash act as that, ? Was it trouble In money matters that caused yon to do it?' He said, ' Yes. I came m here at 1 o'olock, and shot myself at 5.' Witness asked Mr Ashcrof t if he should bring Arqhdeaoon Edwards and let Mro Aab'croft know, but he aaid, 'No 1 Don't tell anybody. ' At this point the doctor arrived with tho ambulance, into which they put Mr a.ahcroft and took him to the hospital. Dt Oupelaod, h use au -v .v. tha hospital, deposed that sir Uho-ofi; wag brought to the hospital about 9 o'clock. Be then appeared to be Buffering aonsldardble pain. On unireasiag nlm a wound was found In fro -it, of the abdomen, ju3t below the riba on the left side. It was a small circular opening, and there had been no geeat tffuaioo o£ b'ood, The aadoaien wai opened and a ssaroh made for the Injuries." ThecVorae of a 'ballot was tttced. Il had passed baoUvrardi and to the tight, wounding the intestines m four or fire places, and tearing tha blood vessels. It had strnok the riba at the, baok, and travelled upwards- They did not find the bullet, the patient being too weak to allow the saaroh to be continued, and the wholo of the abdominal cavity was filled with blood, partly fla'd and partly clotted, He had evidently boon heeding for some time, and died shortly after 10 from haemorrhage oanaed by a bullet r wound, From thi appearanoe of the wonnd witness bad no doubt it waa caused by a email revolver fired at olose quartern. Mr Aahoroft was ooneoioao when brought m. Witness askoo] him m what position hj had held the weapon, and he replied, m his right hand, pulling tbe trigger with his thumb, In a note-case m his pocket was found a slip ot paper with the following written on it : — ' 1 a.m. prayed fcr my wife and children ; 1.30 a,m. still so; 2 a.m., do, m agony and distress; 3 a.m. very cold, m great distress ; 3.30 must have slept ; 4, very oold and hopeless; 4,15, daylight — oh, the agony of this night ; 4.30 — ' fforthar evidence showed that deceased bad been apffering from mental worry over financial troubles resulting from uqsuoceeaful spequlations, and the jury returned a verdict equivalent to one of suicide while of unsound mind* Deceased who was greatly respected m Dunedin, was a nephew of Mr Ja > efl Ashoroft, Official Assignee m Bankruptcy, He was on'y 32 years of age, and leaves a widow and three children. ■ (F£B . PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Dunediu, December 23 On dii that defalcations nearlng four figares have been dl^oovered m Aehoroft's aoconnta. One gentleman last week oKihed a vouober for £200 which the Govotriment have repudiated.