STRANGE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1929, Page 6

STRANGE TRAGEDY

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH

(By Telegraph—Press Association). AUCKLAND, Feb. 18.

At the inquest on Harold Jackson Clark, who died on the evening of January 24, in the presence of Miss Beryl Palmer, aged 22, with whom lie had been keeping company for three years, the solicitor appearin', for the deceased’s relatives said that a verdict of suicide was not desired. Me suggested that there was not .sufficient evidence in any case to warrant such a verdict. Miss Palmer said that for .iboiii a fortnight she noticed Clark was depressed. She often asked him what was the matter, and he would say, “J,ust a little bit of worry. We business men have our bits of worry.’ She visited him on the evening lie died about 8 o’clock, jfcle left the room hut. returned a few minutes later, and sat down. Taking hold of hei hand deceased said; “Beryl if anything should happen that would separate us, you will not think harsh!} .of me?” She asked him what would separate them, and he said: “You never know. There niight be some worry or other.” He had not been hack many minutes when he said he felt ill. He lay on' his bed, and at first she thought he had just taken too much liquor, but as soon is lie was on the bed, he commenced to breathe heavily. Doctors were telephoned for, and Ins. people were fold of his state. When a doctor arrived, he could only pronounce, life extinct..

Miss Palmer said that a few uayprior to that day, she found a small blue bottle under the. coyer of tin table in Clark’s room. It appeared to contain some .white powder, an ] written on the bottle was the word “Morphia.” She was worried about it, and next day questioned him. He said it was only a sleeping draught he had got from a chemist. “In my opinion death was due to heart failure, following an overdose of morphia.” said Dr Murray, who made a post mortem examination, in his report to the Coroner.

In order that I)r Murray could he present, the Coroner adjourned the inquest until to-morrow.