SUICIDE BY DROWNING.

Kumara Times, Issue 1565, 3 October 1881, Page 2

SUICIDE BY DROWNING.

From our Victorian files we learn that Mr H. J. Williams, late of Kum* ara, who some months ago went to Melbourne for a change of air, in hope of recruiting bis health and somewhat deranged intellect, appears to have terminated his existence between the 24th August ani Ist September. The following particulars are given in the Australasian of the 17th ult. | “An inquest was held at Kew on Tuesday, by Mr Candler, the district coroner, on the body of Henry John Williams, aged 40 years, a storekeeper out of employment, who was found floating in the River Yarra, near the new bridge, on the afternoon of the 11th inst. The deceased, who was a temperate man, recently lodged at Ofcmne’s restaurant in Elizaheth-street, Melbourne, where he was last seen alive on the 25th August. He was oitfc of work, and had no money, and appeared to be depressed and melancholy for two or three clays before he disappeared. He was formerly on the West Coast of New Zealand, where his wife, who wrote to his brother recently to say that he had gone wrong in the head, still resided. When the body was taken out of the river, a stone, about 201 b. weight, was found tied close to the neck by a rope. The rope could easily have been tied by the deceased himself. The deceased’s clothes were intact, and there were no marks of a struggle having taken place, A number of letters, papers, and pawn-tickets were found in the pockets of the clothes, but no money. Dr. Wm. B. Walsh made a post mortem examination of the body. The cause of death was asphyxia from drowning. There was nothing to indicate violence, and no traces of alcoholism could be found. The body bad been in the water about teii- days. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased drowned himself while of unsound mind.”