SUICIDE OF M. JULES LANSEIGNE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 323, 7 May 1875, Page 3

SUICIDE OF M. JULES LANSEIGNE.

It is our painful duty to record the death of M. Jules Langseine, woolbroker, of this city. It appears that the unfortunate gentleman left his residence, at Caversham, on Friday morning, as if for a stroll in the bush, and attired only in slippers and a rough suit, which he was accustomed to wear in the garden. When going from the house, he requestsd Madame Lanseigne to have dinner ready early, as he had business to transact in Dunedin. As he did not return during the day some alarm was naturally excited, and this was increased by the discovery that he had purchased strychnine on the previous day from the shop of Mr. Dermer, to whom he stated that he required it be - cause rats were destroying the apples. M. Lanseigne was in town on Thursday, and'

took two of his children to a concert. He seemed in more than his dsual jubilant spirits—so much so that his friends rallied him on the circumstance; to which lie answered that there was something wrong with his head. Oh the circumstances being communicated to the police, Sergeant Anderson was despatched to the place; but prior to his arrival a search party had been organised to look for the missing gentleman. By some of these his corpse was found-lying in the bush not more than a hundred yards from, and in the rear of, his home, and by his side was a small cup, to which a melancholy interest attached. Some time ago JYL Lanseigne lost a favorite child, a daughter, who was buried in the Church of England cemetery at South Dunedin. This cup had belonged to her, and after her death it was religiously kept apart and unused. The unhappy father chose this' cup for his final draught, and must have died with it in his hand. Pecuniary troubles, resulting from losses in trade, are believed to have affected his mind, and induced the fatal act by which he cast aside the insupportable burden of worldly cares. An inquest will be held to-day by Dr. Hocken. M. Lanseigne was a distinguished member of the order of Freemasons, he having for many years held the office of Provincial Grand Secretary of New Zealand under the Scottish Constitution. The funeral took place in accordance with Masonic ceremonial.—■■ 'Guardian.'

An inquest on view of the body was held at the residence of the'late M. Lanseigne at Csversham on Monday last. The evidence went to show that the deceased had been in a very excited state of mind for some time past. The jury, after five minutes'deliberation, returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide while laboring under temporary insanity.