A DETERMINED SUICIDE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2466, 2 April 1909, Page 5

A DETERMINED SUICIDE

~■— ■ - A VICTIM OF INSOMNIA. r - j ' ■ - -f; THE CORONER’S INQUEST. 1 Shortly after 6 o’clock yesterday.'! morning the police were summoned* tu | the Albion Club Hotel, by a message ’ to state that a man named James Montgomery, aged about 35 years, had committed suicide by cutting iii» throat- i with a razor. Sergeant Hutton and Constable Pratt proceeded to the hotel and upon entering the bathroom found .Montgomery lying upon his the floor,.partially clad, uind wijh W'-large, jf gaping wound in ,)iis -iliroat.' The floor >: of tlie room was covered with blood, and there was a blood-stained razor lying on the floor near the deceased, man’s feet. It was stated that Alontgomcrv had been working on a road contract job in the country, and had p not long been in town. He wsa not addicted to drink, and on Wednesday night attended His Alajesty’s Theatre I in company with two ladies. There was then nothing in tlie demeanor of deceased to indicate any intention on bis part to take his life, but prior to this he bad complained ot suffering from insomnia. The body was taken charge of by the police and conveyed to the morgue. THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at 2 p.m. before Air W. E. Akroyd, J.P., DeputyCoroner, in the Courthouse. The following jury was empannelled: ) —Alessrs Thos. Sweet (foreman), Cutli- ‘ : hart, Aior.se, Harry Poole, Bertram Bright, Alexander Falconer, and Charles Nicholls. Dr. Alfred Phillip Coker said he had j examined the body of deceased. James 4 Alontgomery, in the bathroom of the Albion Hotel. He found the man lying on his back in a large quantity h| of blood. Life had been extinct for j some time, but the body was not cold. - There was a very large incised wound ’ right round the thoat from the left side to an inch behind the right ear. All the tissues were laid open with cut. and the windpipe was almost severed. and tlie voice-box also laid open. A second cut, an inch higher, completely severed tlie windpipe and the carotid artery. From the appearance of the wounds it was quite compatible with the suggestion that the wounds were self-inflicted. The wounds were quite sufficient to cause death, being most deliberate and determined. Patrick Andersen, a laborer, at present residing in the Albion Hotel, said that be had been working with deceased lately at Alangapoike on a road contract. Deceased came into town on Saturday, and since then had been sleeping in the same room as witness. Alontgomery was a sober man, and on Sunday be complained to witness that he could not sleep, and that was the reason he bad come to town. Deceased also told him that he had been to the chemist’s. He (witness) last saw deceased in bed about 10.50 p.m.onMednesday night. Deceased appeared to be a little unwell, and wished witness good-night. He next saw deceased dead in the bathroom yesterday morning. Witness left bis razor and case on the dressing table in his bedroom after shaving on Tuesday night. It was quite accessible to deceased. The razor (produced) was his (witness s) property. Deceased told witness that he belonged to Australia. AYilliam Graham, night porter at the Albion Hotel, said that on Wednesday night lie visited the various parts of the hotel, but found nothing unusual until 6 a.m. yesterday. He was then going towards the back stairs when he looked into the bathroom and saw tlie body of deceased lying on the floor, in a pool of blood. Deceased was lying between the bath and the door, and witness saw that he had a big gash in his throat. Ho (witness) reported the occurrence to the manager of the hotel. As far as lie (witness) knew Montgom- . erv was quite dead at this time. Alicbael Quinn, laborer, residing atthe Albion Hotel, stated that he occupied a bedroom adjoining the bathroom. At about 5.30 n.m. on Thursday morining be was awakened by a gurgling sound in the bat-liroom. Ho awoke his bedroom companion, saying that ho thought some person was choking in tlie bathroom. They both waited for a moment, listening, but heard no further sound. There was no sound of any conflict or altercation in the bathroom. James Porter, manager of the Albion Hotel, also gave evidence. He bad known deceased for some years, and he arrived at the hotel on Saturday night. Deceased told him that lie had been working at Dennehy’s contract at Alangapoike. Deceased was sober all the time he was at the hotel. He made no compT-iint to witness of any kind, but was quieter than usual. He (witness) knew that deceased had come from Warm imbool. Victoria. He did not know if deceased ligd any relatives in the Dominion. lie was a man * about 35 years. Constable Pratt gave evidence of having found tlie body of deceased, on t’ue floor of tlie bathroom, in a large pool of blood, with his throat cut. Deceased had only his shirt and trouser son. He (witness) found a razor (produced) lying on tlie ground, covered with blood, and tlie case of the razor was. protruding from the pocket-, of deceased's trousers. The body was quite limp and warm. Deceased was lying oil his left- side with his arm underneath him. His right arm was - raised across his chest with tlie hand half open. Tlie position of the body and the razor led him (witness) to believe tlie injuries to be self-inflicted. Tlie sum of 6s was found in deceased’s pockets; prior to his being taken to the morgue. . This concluded the evidence, and tlie finding of the jury, after a retirement of ten”minutes, was that deceased committed suicide while suffering from insomnia.