DEATH OF YOUTH

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1930, Page 5

DEATH OF YOUTH

EMPLOYER’S ACCUSATION

AUCKLAND, August 2

Because he had been accused of putting his arm about the wife of the man for whom he was temporarily working, "Eric Owen Dwight, aged nineteen years, became moody, and yesterday told hie mother that he liau drunk a bottle of poison, He tvas taken to the hospital, and died at 12.55 this morning. The inquest was opened before the Coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, this morning, but was adjourned after the evidence of the mother and father had been taken.

Mrs Dwight said that she was preparing her lunch yesterday when her son. called her to his room. He had finished his lunch, and retired immediately after. He had 'been there only a few minutes when he called her. She went to see what he wanted, and he said, “Look what I have done.” Mrs Dwight said: “Oh! What have you done that for dear?” He replied “Jim has accused me of doing something which I never did.” Mrs Dwight said that she then saw an empty poison bottle on the duchesse in the bedroom. There was an empty jam jar beside it.

The boy told her that “Jim,” for whom he had been working, had accused him of putting his arm around Ivy (“Jim’s” wife), and he said that it was not true.

Mrs Dwight called Dr. Gunn, and the boy was taken to the hospital. He had teen moody of late, but had never given any indication that he was going to take his life.

Henry Dwight identified his son, and said that he had been out of employment for the past eight months.' He was in perfect health. Yesterday witness received a telephone call from the hospital saying that he was wanted immediately . He met his wife at the gate, and she told him that the boy had poisoned himself. Mr Dwight went to the boy’s bedside, where efforts were being made to counteract the effects of the poison. The boy was screaming, but seemed otherwise to be unconscious. He did not speak to His father, and never regained consciousness before he passed away.