Sudden Death.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 January 1891, Page 3

Sudden Death.

» At about 8.80 o'clock yesterday morning says the Manawatu Times of Monday, it was reported to the police that Mr H. A. B. Williams, chemist, had been found dead in bed by his family, Deceased had been about town the previous evening in his usual health, and had had a shave at Mr Cox's hairdressing saloon and made some purchases. He went to bed at about 10.30 on Saturday evening, and as he had been in the habit of taking chemical draughts for the purpose of inducing sleep, it is supposed that he had taken an overdose of morphia or some such poison, which had caused his death. Though it is mere conjecture to state Iho cause of death until the postmortem examination is held, it is very probable that the deceased met his death by poisoning. On a former occasion he had nearly poisoned himself by taking an overdose of morphia. He was of rather eccentric habits and lately his behaviour had become strangely marked. Deceased avlio was the son of the late Dr Williams, ofWoodville, had been in business here for some time past. At ten o'clock this morning, the body was removed from his late residence to the Royal Hotel, where a post mortem examination was held by Drs Macintire and Porter. The medical opinion has not yet been disclosed, but we hear that no marked traces of poisoning could be discovered. An inquest was to have been held at the Royal Hotel at four o'clock this evening.