THE LATE SUICIDE.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 531, 1 March 1876, Page 2

THE LATE SUICIDE.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at two o’clock at the Hospital, before Dr Coward, coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr George Jones was foreman, on view of the body of Horace Freeborn, who shot himself in the back yard of the Criterion Hotel, on Monday last. The coroner, jury, and witnesses having viewed the body, the following evidence was taken :

Police-sergeant Beck deposed—About ten minutes to one o’clock yesterday I was informed that a man had shot himself at the Criterion Hotel. I hastened to the place and found deceased lying in front of the watercloset, dead. He was on his left side. I saw the revolver produced a few inches from his side ; his right hand was very close to it. There was blood on the barrel and stock. I observed a wound in deceased’s right temple from which blood was flowing. It is a fivechambered revolver, and has been discharged, I searched deceased, and found the property on him I now produce. I then had the body brought to the Hospital, Malcolm McCallum deposed—Yesterday, between twelve and one o’clock, I was at the Criterion Hotel, and on going into the back yard I found deceased lying outside the water-closet; to all appearance he was dead ; he was lying fiat on his belly, and his face turned halt-round ; I could see where he had shot himself. I then went inside and brought out Mr N. McLean, ami returned to the yard. I then turned the' body half over, and saw that deceasecj was wounded; the revolver was lying close alongside as if his arm had covered it. 1 knew deceased well, and had seen him alive ten minutes before, when he came in in com-

pany with Mr Garforth. I have seen nothing in deceased’s manner to indicate that he was likely to injure himself. He did not appear desponding in mind. He was a gentlemanly man and was much liked.

John Green Garforth, deposed—l have known deceased several years. He was a very highly respectable man and, so far as I know, he had been always a steady man. Deceased had been collecting accounts for me. I met deceased on Thursday night last, when he gave me a statement of accounts, produced, from which it appeared that £153 4s 7d were owing by deceased to me. Deceased stated that he expected a remittance of £SOO by the Suez mail, when, he would pay me the amount owing. I next saw deceased at Collins’ Hotel, yesterday. We went in company to the Criterion Hotel. I agreed to take security for the amount owing if deceased could obtain it. When we reached the Criterion, deceased looking round said, “ Oh, he is net here,” as if referring to some one he expected to see. Deceased then left me and went upstairs for about three minutes. When he returned I was standing on the pavement. Deceased passed me and went in towards the commercial room, saying he would only be gone a second. Shortly after I met Mr M'Lean, who said, '* There’s a man dead in the backyard. I went to the back yard and saw deceased lying there dead. Mr M'Callum was there, and held up a pistol, saying, “ This is what he did it with."

John Baylee deposed—l am landlord of the Criterion Hotel. I have known deceased for about three years. He had been stopping at my place for about three months, and though he seemed at times a little worried by business, I did notice any unusual depression of mind about him. As I was leaving the Criterion yesterday, about halfpast twelve, I met deceased in company with Mr Garfortb. He appeared flurried or excited about business at the time, and scarcely noticed me as I passed him. I considered decease! a temperate man. Harry Daniel Manning deposed The pistol produced belonged to deceased. Deceased took the pistol from my shop about four days ago ; it had been lying there for about three years. During the past week deceased had appeared very dull, as if troubled in mind about something. The jury then retired, and after a short consultation returned a verdict to the effect “ That deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity,”