SUICIDE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1812, 19 July 1906, Page 3

SUICIDE.

A PREMEDITATED AOT,

Charles Charman, a laborer, 50 I yoara of ago, hopolossly nidieted, with I caneor of tho stomach, put an end to his lifo at tho Victoria Hospital, for I Chronic Invalids, Wellington, on Saturday afternoon, by shooting him* self with a revolver. Ho was discharged from tho Wel- ' lington Hospital a fow months ago, and on May 1 bocamo au inmate of til institution whoro ho diod. Latterly ho had boon suffering groat pain. On Saturday another inmate of tho hospital noticed Charman taking something out of his looker, and not long afterwards a shot was hoard. The matron of the hospital discovered that Charman had shot himself through tho mouth, and before medical assist-

ance arrived ho was dead. The circumstancos as to how tho patient got the revolver and smuggled it into tho institution wero carefully inquired into by tho Coroner, who hold an inquest on Sunday. I appears that Charman obtained a pass to go out on May 12, and it is very likely ho got tho revolver then. Ho roturned to tho homo in the afternoon, but was not soarchod by the nurse who admitted him. Tho evidence showed ! that it was not usual to search a patient who had only been out for a short time. Tho revolver appears to have beon concealed in a box. Being rogarded more or less as a charitablo institution, a patient’s private effocts are not subjected to the same regulations as they are at tho district hospital.

Tho foregoing particulars are mainly those which were elicited at the inquest. The j ury returned a verdict that “ While a pationt at Victoria Hospital for Chronic Invalids, suffering greatly from an incurable disease, deceased committed suicide by shooting

himself with a revolver.” Borne discussion took place on tho question of how he manngod to obtain tho ' revolver, and tho necessity for observing some stricter system of inspection. One juryman expressed the opinion that all patients who had been allowed out on “ pass ” should be searched when they returned. The Coroner (Mr James Ashcroft) said he felt sure all reasonable precautions would bo taken to prevent such an occurrence in the future.