Tragic Suicide at Napier.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 163, 9 January 1895, Page 2

Tragic Suicide at Napier.

A MAN POISONS HIMSELF WHILE UNDER ARREST. (Per Press Association.) Napier, January 8. A most sensational suicide occurred here this afternoon, the victim beiug George Howard, aged 33, one of the partners in the concern known as the Anglo-American Soap Company having its head. quarters here. He had formerly as a partner George Duncan, of the Survey Office here, but the partnership was dissolved three months agoDetective Kirhy arrested EDoward to-day on a charge of forging Duncan's nama to (wo cheques for small amounts Howard, who was in bed in a hotel at the Spit, dressed, and accompanied the detective in a cab to town, ap pearing to take the affair very nonchalantly, smoking aad chatting affably all the way. just outside the police station Kirby got out of the cab, and on turning round saw that: Howard had a small blue bottle pre3sed to his lips. Kirby dashed the bottle to the ground, and struck Howard a smart blow on the back of the neck with the result that a quantity of liquid in his mouth was shot out. He examined the bottle and found that it had a portion of a prussic acid label on it. In the meantime Dr Moore, who resides close by, was gent for and i arrived within five minutes. Howard, however, was then in a state of coma, and, despite restorative measures, died in about two hours. On searching a him at the station another full bottle of prussic acid was found. j He was a widower, but leaves two daughters aged nine and seven years. Little is known of him here, where he has resided about a year, but it is understood that he came from America. It was known that he was in financial difficulties. He had been on a severe drinking bout, and it is surmised that he went to bed at the hotel with the view of taking the poison, there This Day. At the inquest on Howard the evidence shows the deceased came from Sydney about 9 months ago. The death of his wife seemed to prey on his mind, and he took to drink to drown his cares and financial trouble. A verdict of death from taking a dose of prussic acid was returned.