ALEXANDRA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 294, 13 December 1867, Page 3

ALEXANDRA.

DETERMINED SUICIDE. Dec. 10. • On Monday afternoon, about 5 o'clock, two school children observed a drab coat lying near a water-hole at Butler's Point, about a quarter of a mile from the township, where a dog *,was furiously barking, and (riving every indication that something was wroiur. The children, after some time, reported tho occurrence to their parents, and it was mcertaincd that the coat and dog belonged to a minor named Robert Hooper, a steady industiious man, sober, and ir every respect well to do, ' eing the actual owner of nearly fEtfl crsh. S( rret( "wrrn tr, headed by Corstsble Neil, seen cftcr 7 o'clock, began to dracr the water-bole, which is about twenty feet by nice, and in a f( w minutes succeeded in recoverirg the bedy. It was evident that the deceased had mrcc no effort to nave lihrif elf, r.s his hrrds rrd arms were in positions almost denoting wilful " felo de se." The corpse was taken to Mr. Leslie's. Boatman's Arms Hotel, where the following very remaikable evidence was elicited. THE INQUEST. j (Before 11. W. Robinson, Esq., Coroner.) < Mr. E. Finlay was chosen foreman of the TO I George Cameron, 12, having been can tioned as to the obligations of an ca hj, stated : 1 went taking out fishing Hies last night-, about half-past u, up the Mannhcrikia, and heard a dog bark uo the river. Another boy, named James Scott, was with me, both of us having come out from school together. At a place called Butler's Point we saw a black dog standing by a waterhole, barking. I knew the deceased to be the owner cf the dog, ihcugh I did not know his (deceased's) name. The coat produced was lying on the bank, I reported the occurrence to my parents, and went back again about 7 o'clock, being anxious to ascertain whether any accident had ha-, pencd. I went to deceased's tent, and found that he was absent, and I then told Mr. W. Rober-son, of the Geelong Hotel, who immediately accompanied me to the water-Lols. William Robertson, sworn, deposed: Last night, 9th Do ember, the witness George Cameron called at my house, abent 8 o'clofk, and told me that a coat was lying on the bank of a well at Bailor's Point, and Robert Hooper's dog was there, balking. I and Constable Neil, who had just come to the spot, walked down to deceased's residence, where vb found a s'ate, upon which was inscribed deceased's name, age, and ulaoe of birth (Devonshire, England), when he came to the colony, and also expressing a hope that he wculd find a watery pave Witness and Constable Neil procured a honked stick and ('ragged the water-hole where they found the body, and assisted to carry it to the place where it now lays. By a Jrror.—l saw the deceased alive en Saturday last, and perceived nothing strange in his lna-inc* - . He was always very quiet, and I have known him work with me a whole day without speaking a single word. James Pivcrs deposed : I am a store, keener, residing at Alexandra. I last saw 'he deceased alive yesterday mnrninr. at half-ra3t 6. Bid not remark anything, reculiar about him. 1 have known him for ten years, and lie has always bc-n. a steady, sober, and industrious man. He was remarkably quiet bnt never sociable. Edward Hallidny deposed : I am a storekeeper, residing at Alexandra. 1 recognise the body as that of Robert Hooper. He was a mate of mine in the Alexandra Dredge, in which he held six shares. I believe he had a good deal of mo: cy, and he was a very quiet sober man. Jane Halliday, wife of the previous witness, had known deceased for a long time, saw him last m Sunday evening; he was very anxious to see my husband, and came in two or three times inquiring if Mr. Ha'liday was at heme. This morning a little srirl came to me, saying she had found some thin?; it was an iron pot, and, on opening it, J immediately recognised a comforter, a" belonging to deceased, 1 having heard of his death. 1 found in the comforter seventy five ponnls, in Ten and Five pound liotcs, and a 1 *nosit reeei t (0921) for £42) on the Bank of N°.*.v Zeidand. 1 immediately hnr.i"ed over the property io the F< lice. Thomas Neil, constable, statior.cd at the Mamiberikia, pave coiroborativo evidence. The Jury, after a very careful summing up by the Coroner, re'ur-0.l the following I verdic* •-" That deceased, Ri,l crt Hpr;e,--, ! c=me by Lis death by dr.wni'r, while 1 - i boring un-.l -r f cnro-.vry ir»«.ni'y."