HORSE TRAINER'S SUICIDE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20105, 8 December 1930, Page 9

HORSE TRAINER'S SUICIDE.

♦ VERDICT OF UNSOUND MIND. UrrUAi. to the ruess.) OAMAItL", December 6. An inquest touching the death ol Frederick Robert Legge, tlio wellknown horse trainer, who was louml dead in his hut at Livingstone on Thurosday morning, was held this morning beloro .Mr \V. H. Fritli (Coroner), fsonior-isergcant iscott conducted tlio enquiry. 'J'he evidence went to show that Lcgge returned to Duntroon from the Foruuiy Park Trotting Mooting on •Monday night's train Irom Duncdin. He told a witness that lie was "stony broke," and from police enquiries it was shown that Lcgge stayed the night at l>untroon, and that he did not have enough money to pay for his dinner at the hotel on Tuesday. Ho returned to his but at Livingstone on Tuesday, and was last seen alive at about i 0 o clock on the following morning, when he was lying in bed. In reply to enquiries as to his health, Legge then said he was feeling tired. His body was found propped up by pillows in bed, on Thursday morning. There was a bullet wound in the forehead. and a .22 calibre Winchester rifle lying between his legs, th© muzzle pointing towards his head, and his left hand clasped around the rifle, with his right hand near tho trigger. A box of cartridges was found on the kitchen dresser, and an empty shell in tho breech of the rifle. Legpe was quite sober on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. He was described an impulsive man, between -10 and 4-5 years of age, and without any known relatives in New Zealand. It is be lieved his people reside in London. Legge followed various occupations, principally those of horse-training and shearing, and it was said that he did not worry over anv losses from horse racing. None of the witnesses knew of anv reason why Legge should take his life. Tho Coroner returned a, verdict of suicide, while of unsound mind.