SUDDEN DEATH

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 272, 11 August 1921, Page 4

SUDDEN DEATH

WELL-KNOWN COMMER CIAL TRAVELLER. At 3 p.m. yesterday, whilst standing in the vestibule of the Commercial Travellers’ Club. Mr. William Espie. a very well known commercial traveller who has been "on the road” in New Zealand for some thirty years, dropped dead. Dr Gilmer was at onco sent for. and, arriving a few minutes later, could only pronounce life extinct, the cause being stoppage of the heart’s action. Mr. Espie has been a sufferer from heart trouble for the last eight or ten years, during which time he had had several seizures which threatened serious results. Ho led a very quiet life, and took the greatest care never- to impose any strain on his heart. When in Wellington he "bached” nt his own place at Sentoun, where during the summer months he used to play bowls a great deal on the local green. At the time of his death he was In the employ of Messrs. Johnston and Co., of Wellington, but is probably best known in other parts of New Zealand, and particularly on the West Coast, for his twenty-year connection with Messrs. M'Gavin and Co., of Dunedin. He had also travelled for Messrs. J. Staples and Co. and T. and W. Young, of Wellington.

The late Mr. Espie, who was about 55 rear? of age, was held in great esteem and affection both bv his fellow-travellers and customers. He was unmarried. It is understood thqt he has a brother in Wellington and two nieces in Melbourne.