A PITIABLE CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1631, 20 December 1905, Page 2

A PITIABLE CASE.

SUICIDE WHILE TEMPORARILY INSANE. An inquest took place yesterday before Mr W. A.Barton, Deputy Coroner, concerning tbe death of Bernard William Fioob. Ths jury were : Messrs Chas. I Rosie (foreman), Tbos. Smith, Chas. Morris, Geo. Primrose, John Harold Kane, and Percy Fitzgerald. Sergeant McKenzie represented the police, Arthur Finlay gave evidence as to finding Finch with his throat badly gashod, on his hands and knees. I The wi yi pipe was nearly severed; the wound had almost ceased bleediDg. When found, deceased had a towel round his throat, and os he could not speak witness gave him a pencil and piper, and he wrote tbe following statement: —“l was working in Mas! erton for Mr McGrath and Mr R, J. Muir, I could a’ways work, but acted mad. I came first of all from EDg’and from a good Catholio family, but threw up my religion and thought I would be a Freethinker. The punishment is just. When I stand up the blood leaves tbe head, causes me to fall I was proud to God and man ; that is the punishment sent by God. lam an idiot, caused by self abuse, but I thought

I was as clever as any man. Don’t pity mo but blame me—it is all my own fault. Everybody I m9t on the road was very kind, Bernard Wi'diam Fineb. I wont

from Eng to India, thon out here. I wanted to bo a Freethinker on all maltars of religion. I went mad for a sbo t time. I have to go back to Masterton." Mr Craill then came upon the scene and tcok charge of tbe dectased. Dr. Morrison, medical superintendent Gisborne Hospital, stated that deceased was admitted to tbe Hospital on Saturday

evening, suffering from a cut throit, the cut having hnlf-3everod the windpipe, but bad m sred tbe big blood-veseols of the | neck. There were also small wounds about the arm?. Deceased was suffering from shock, and bis condition was crit'cil. The causo of death was really septic in flammat'on of the luogs, resulting from tl.o wounds. After stitcbiDg and dressing the wounds, wi'ness was given to understand by decoised that they wire eelfinfiictcd.

By the Foreman : The wound was evidently inflicted some hours previously, and the length of lime which elap-ed before he received treatment would causo tbe inflammation.

Thcs. Craill, sheepfarmor, Patutabi, doposed that the deceased was writing the ! statement produced when be arrived upon the scene, After obtaining assistance he conveyed deceased to the Hospital, Deceased had a swag, whioh was lying opeD, and there wbb a stained razor near by. This waß about 100yds from where he was found. There was a great deal of blood about near the swag- i The jury returned a verdict that deceased died from wounds self-ioflioted while temporarily insane.