AN AMAZING SUICIDE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1925, Page 3

AN AMAZING SUICIDE

THE AUTHORITIES MYSTIFIED, av 'ini.koHaiti — mess assn.joi’ykkuii WELLINGTON, Nov. 1(1. What- is thought to he an amazing suicide is surrounded by an inexplii able mystery as to how a man, under the iir ■umstan.es, could possibly take his own life, occurred at the Terrace Bris'mi on Saturday afternoon when William Hayden was found dead while hand.'tiffed and in a straightjacket with a strap round his neck. The nil’ll i‘-a I authorities are el I lie opinion the prisoner died of suffocation, lint how" he managed to tree his hands

-ml place Hit ip > ;p k again m the Immlciill's. 11 i- at present not po-sihle to explain. It aipears that for some days past, the prisoner had to he very closely guarded from the (lav he entered the prison but he did not take to matters kindly. Lie grew hitter and morose, and would spend hours brooding, now and then breaking out into a rage, declaring someone was coming to kill him.

On Friday evening he became so violent that it was dangerous to enter his cell. During the night the prisoner was closely guarded and it was decided for his own good, to have him sent to the prison mental hospital.

Drs Gilmer and White were summoned and when the prisoner was spoken to lie do lared the authorities bad decided to take bis life. He knew they were going to do it. and it bad been this terrible thought which had been preying on his mind for days. So violent did the prisoner become next morning that it was decided to put him in a straight jacket until he reached Porirua. This was no easy task as tile man fought like a tiger, but be was ultimately secured and the van to take him In Porirua was summoned.

AYliile waiting for the van Warder Gibson, who had been in attendance outside the cell all the morning, was summoned to the front door. Lie left Harden lying on the floor unable to move. When he returned fifteen minutes later the man was still in the same position, but the strap which, lnid been fastened round his legs was round his throat and Harden was dead. Dr McEvedv was immediately summoned and said that so far as he could toll the man died from suffocation, but

it might have been from heart failure. j c. Scanlon. Governor of five Terraco Gaol says: “How it could have happened is beyond me altogether.” The deceased was a man with a long list, of convictions and was serving a sentence of three years, having been committed in July last. WELLINGTON. Nov. 16.

The police are investigating the Ter-

race gaol mystery. A post-mortem _is being held this afternoon and an inquest probnblv to-morrow.