THE PRISON SUICIDE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1925, Page 2

THE PRISON SUICIDE

HOW IT WAS DONE. JY TEI.F.OJIAPn —I‘EU Pit ESS ASSOCIATION. j WELLINGTON, November 17. The method used hy the prisoner William Hayden, at the lerrace Gaol, of committing suicide on Saturday last has been solved. The prisoner was about to he committed to the Mental Hospital, and had been placed in a refractorv licit on Saturday morning owing to his violence. Shortly alter one o’clock, he was found dead, although securely hound in the belt and handcuffed. He had managed to take the straps off his legs, place it in a running noose round his neck', and then attach it to an iron ring bolted to tile wall about two leet above the floor.

How this was possible was del istrated at the Coroner’s inquest to-day. Dr McFvedy was placed in a ivlfactory belt, handcuffed, and hound round the ankles with a strap. By drawing up his knees, and spreading them apart he was able to unfasten the buckle on the belt, place the belt round his neck, and attach it to the ring. The solution of the mystery was thus explained. Evidence was then given as to the finding of the body ol the deceased. It was stated that the strapping was perfectly warranted, and in the ordinary way it would have been quite sale. The Pathologist at the gaol said that deatli was due to heart failure, following on concussion. The injuries to the head could have been caused hy humping against the brick wall. Death was not due to suffocation.

Chief Gaoler Scanlon gave evidence as to the reception of the prisoner, his conduct generally, and as to the fact that on November Nth, he commenced getting very restless, until his condition became such that he had to he confined in a refractory hell. At first witness was mystified as to how deceased could have got into the position in which he was found, hut, alter seeing the demonstration hv Dr McEvedy. he recognised how easily the deceased could have done what he did. The ordinary straight jackets were not used at the gaol. There was no padded cell, owing to the prison Iteing partly demolished.

One prisoner said that before the belt, was placed on Hayden, t lie latter had injured his head, and had been rolling about the cell before he was hound.

The Coroner reviewed the facts of the ease, lie said it at first appeared strange, how a prisoner could have committed suicide, hut, looking at the methods adopted, it was evident that at the time the procedure adopted seemed a safe one. It had not lieon shown that the officers had acted other than reasonably. There was no padded cell at the gaol at the time, because part of the building had been removed hut a short time before. The whole of the prisoners would bp removed. Regarding the method of securing the warrant for committal from the gaol to the asylum, an amendment of the Statute would he necessary to enable the procedure to be shortened. The verdict was one of suicide, no blame attachable to anyone.