EKETAHUNA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1018, 14 March 1912, Page 3

EKETAHUNA TRAGEDY.

Eketahuna, March 12

Further search for the missing man, McLean, who was engineer to the Eketahuua County Council, has been unsuccessful. Deep holes in the river were dynamited, without result, and a diver has been engaged from Wellington for a thorough search to-day.

POISON PURCHASED

Ekktahuna, March xx

McLean’s overcoat, handbag, and pipe were found near the river, and a sheet of paper with the words, “ Poison too slow — taking to water.”

It has been ascertained that he had bought poison previously at a chemist’s shop. Two letters left behind indicated his intention to commit suicide owing to trouble in the office.

The missing man was county clerk, secretary of the local branch of the Farmers’ Union, agent for the Eiverbool London and Globe Insurance Company, secretary of the Eketahuna Building Society, and a member of the Borough Council.

Eketahuna, March 13

The body of R. J. McLean was discovered at 11 o’clock yesterday morning by Diver Petersen in a deep hole in the river about 100 yards below wheie the man’s overcoat was previously found. At the inquest the evidence went to show that deceased had been suffering from bad health, and during the last few days did not seem to know what he was doing. Letters written by him were partly incoherent. A verdict was returned of ‘‘suicide while temporarily insane.”