INQUEST AT RANGIORA.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2623, 2 September 1882, Page 3

INQUEST AT RANGIORA.

An inquest was held yesterday at the Plough Inn, touching the death of Mr John Carpenter, licensee of that hotel, whose body (he haying been missed since Wednesday evening) was found on Thursday evening hanging on the sapling growiag from a gum tree stump in a three-acre paddock behind the hotel, before O.Whit of oortl, E?q , ooroner, and a jury, of whom Mr W. A. Buru was foreman.

The following evidence was adduced : Baohael Carpenter, wife of deceased, said they had been married fifteen years. He was thirty-two years of age, and was born at Baling, in Middlesex. On Wednesday he returned from the North Canterbury coursing matoh, at 5.30 p.m., in usual health and happy spirits. After tea with witness he served one or two drinks in the bar, and then said he was going out, and, if witness could not mind the house, he said she might look it up. He went out at 7.30 o'clock, and this was the last she saw of him. He was troubled for some time past with his affairs, and had been to Ohristohurch on Monday about a lawsuit with Partridge and Buddie. On his return ho remarked that evory one appeared to be against him. She endeavored to oheer him up by expressing a hope that his affairs would soon be all right. He was to have gone to town that day (Friday) in reference to the lawsuit. [At this stage witness was unable to continue her evidence, and the coroner said, if necessary, the jury could reoall her.] . Sergeant Barlow deposed, from information received on Thursday, at 3 15 p.m., he went to the Plough Inn in company with Mr G. Cone and Mr Amor, in order to make a searoh for deoeased, who had been reported missing. Tn a paddock adjoining the garden behind the hotel his attention was drawn by Mr Gone to something in a tree in the paddock. They found deoeased'e body hanging from a sapling growing out of a stump of a gum tree. A large tree had been out off within 3ft 6in of the ground. A man conld stand on this stump. From the stump there grew the sapling about 3in thick. Four feet up the sapliog was attached the rope produced (a piece of plaited sash cord), by which deoeased was banging, his feet being about an inch from the ground. To the cord was attaohed a new swivel, whioh would allow tho rope to run easily round his neck. It was tightly round the neck, the swivel coming under the left ear. Deceased seemed to have been hanging some time, as the rope was embedded in the neck, the body cold and stiff, and no evidence of a struggle. Deceased oould net have been placed there during life against his wish. The body was removed to where viewed by the jury. In the deoeased'e pockets were a statement of the winding up of his his affairs at the Club Hotel between himsilf and Partridge and Buddie, a handkerohief and a coursing oard. Witness had known him some years, and believed deceased to be a sober, steady, industrious man. He was usually very quiet in his manner. Francis Hales, managing director Standard Brewery Company, deposed he saw deoeased last on Monday, when he consulted with witneis about his affairs. He said that Partridge and Buddie had a writ Bgainst him for £BO odd. Deoeased was anxious to have it settled, and was in a state of nervous excitement. After showing witness his position, and some consultation had taken place, he agreed to assist deceased on oortain terms. They went to the telegraph office to telegraph to his landlord, Mr Davis, whom they found oould not come to town till Friday. After agreeing to go to Bangiora on Friday, or that deoeased and Davis wore to oome to him that day, they separated. Deceased refused to drink, and said he had not been drinking for some time. Witness took notioe of deoeased particularly, and oonßidered he was worried from his affairs, as his manner was different to what he had notioed on former occasions.

George Oone, called at the request of the foreman, stated that the rope and swivel were such as is used for a leading rein. They had never been previously used. He instituted the searoh for deoeaßed in consequence of what Mrs Carpenter had told him, and the remark said to have been made by deoeased to the effect that if she could not mind the hotel she had better lock it up. These words had struok bim as probably implying that deoeased would not return. Mrs Carpenter had further told him he had gone out with i>n old hat on.

The Coroner having reviewed the evidence, whioh he stated pointed clearly to deoeased having oommitted suioide, said the next question was for the jury to oonsider his state of mind at the time. After a short retirement, the jury returned a verdiot "That deceased oommitted suicide while in a state of temporary insanity, while laboring under pecuniary embarrassments."