“IT IS TOO LATE."

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3754, 21 February 1907, Page 4

“IT IS TOO LATE."

Message Hut Might Have Saved A Consul s Life.

The irony of fate has seldom been more grimly and dramatically illustrated than in the suicide of Colonel Robert dc Gciman.-thc .Russian Consul in Liverpool, who stabbed and then shot himself a Few hours before a telegram was'received announcing that the cause of his trouble had been removed.

An aristocrat, a gallant soldier, and a talented litterateur, the colonel was very popular in Liverpool. Me fought at Plevna, and possessed numerous decoration. Only a year ago lie w rote a play for children that was produced in Ids adopted city. He was fifty-five years old. a widower with one daughter, who at the time of the tragedy was on a visit, to London. •

For several days a secret burden had weighed on his mind. Naturally placid and courteous of speech, he had become strange in his manner, and apparently greatly depressed. On Boxing Day he was alone in the house, exception the servants, throughout the day his mood had 'grown gloomier. Dinner was served about seven o’clock. The colonel ate nothing. A. few minutes after the servants had left the room he walked into tlie library Hcdiad made up his mind to'kill himself.

Taking down a long-bladed Turkish knife that, hung on the wall he stabbed himself twice in the chest. But the injuries were not. fata. 1 , and the wounded and (weakened man, realising this, managed to pull open a drawer and take out a loaded revolver. With this he shot himself twice. The terrified servahts rushed in to find him lying bleeding on the floor. Doctors and neighbours were called in, and the wounded man was placed on a couch. It was useless to move him to a hospital, for his condition was quite hopeless. As he lay dying,- hut conscious of all that went on around him, a telegraph messenger arrived at-the house and handed in a message fpit the ' colonel

The telegram was read to him. It briefly announced the fact that the private trouble that had -..brought,about so terrible a result had . been fJsatisfactorily arranged. “ It is too late,” murmured the Consul. He died soon afterwards.