THE WHAREKOPAE SUICIDE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 374, 25 March 1902, Page 4

THE WHAREKOPAE SUICIDE.

Tim evidence in connection with tho Wharekopao suicide is to hand. The inquest was held on Friday before Mr J. A. Caesar, J.P., acting-coroner, and the following jury : Messrs Henry Green (foreman), Georgo Watson, Michael Maloney, Edward Schroder, Albert Schroder, and Thomas Walters. Douglas Gelling, laborer, stated that deceased slept in witness’s hut on Tuesday, 18th inst. Next morning Manix rose just after him, had breakfast, and went to work, returning about 5.30 p.m. to camp. Witness had a wash, and a few minutes later went towards deceased’s tent, and found him dead with liis throat cut. Witness went back to camp and called his mates, and they made no search, but caught their horses. Deceased had only been one and a-half days in camp, and seemed in his usual health and spirits. John Clouston and witness rode to Pntutahi to inform the police. Witness had known deceased about 18 months. Manix was a temperate hard-working man. Witness did not think deceased had any intimate friends in Gisborno, nor relatives in the colony. Thomas Buckley, in the course of his evidence, stated he lost saw deceased alive on Wednosday evening about 5.30 o’clock, and was talking to him. Manix was _in good health, and there was nothing peculiar about him. Douglas Gelling called witness a few minutes afterwards, and witness saw deceased lying by his tent. Witness had known Manix for over two years, and deceased was reserved about his relations. On proceeding to the tent, witness found Manix dead, and saw tho razor and looking-glass lying beside him. There was no water or soap near him. He was not quarrelsome, and witness knew of no jealousies. Michael Collins stated deceased had been three years in Poverty Bay, witness knowing him for about 18 months. Deceased was temperate, and never complained. Manix had told witness that his relatives were in County Kerry, Ireland, and he had an uncle in Australia. John Clouston gave evidence as to sending information about the occurrence to the police. Ho believed deceased stopped at the Record Roign Hotel. Manix was a temperate, healthy man, .in comfortable circumstances, apparently content with his lot.

Constable Farmer deposed that on receipt of information, ho proceeded to tho scene of tho tragedy, and found a man with a wound in his throat and a lookingglass and a razor lying beside him. Excepting tho coat, deceased was fully dressed. Witness examined the body, but found nothing other than tha wound in the throat. On searching the body, witness found, among other effects, deceased’s address in Ireland, with piecos of letters and papers. The jury returned a verdict that the said John Manix then and thero did cut his throat by means of a razor, on the spur of the moment, on March 19th, 1902.