SUICIDE IN WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 85, 12 April 1877, Page 4

SUICIDE IN WELLINGTON.

■ ■ (Evening Post, Aprils.) . ,-, •, : ... About nine o'clock this morniug, ,in.,formation ; was conveyed to the polit.e tbat a man had shot himeelf in a hoiiss 'iii 1 the Adelaide road, and constable v "Shiei_i was immediately despatched, to-. „; make, enquiries into the matter. ... Frbm .information he received, .he. proceeded ■toa house next door to Mr Moody's '" : s'lore. On entering the house he was told tbat the head of the family occuping r -t the. bouse, named Arthur. Petersen, had . . shot bimeelf with a gun.. He-procured 1 assistance and forced open the dooij of '' th6room in which Petersen was said tobe lying. There a horrible sight met ;! his eyes.. Petersen was lying^on Jthe . bed with his feet resting on the ground. A short rifle was betweeu his legs, ?nd the upper part of his head was shattered to pieces. His . brains were scattered all over the room, aud the spectacle altogether was a most fearful one. j It appears thst Petersen, wbo was 46 years of age, and native a of Norway, arrived in the colony with his family, numbering six pesrons, about four years ago in the ship Pleiades, from London. His eldest son, aged 17, is a member of the City Rifle Volunteers, aud has been in the habit of keeping his rifle and a supply of ammunition in a room off .the kitchen. About half past eight o'clock this morning, while tbe family were at breakfast, Petersen went into the room where the rifle and ammunition were kept, and soon af.erwards a sound was heard as if a charge were beiug rammed into the weapon. A minute or two i- this Petersen ran into tbe room: where his family were sitting, with ithe rifle in his hand. On being asked where he was going he replied "lam after some people outside." ' He looked out, and then said 4! I am too late; they are gone." He then weut into His room saying "Pray for me," and shut land - locked tbe door, A few seconds afterwards au explosion was heard. The* alarm was given, and the police seat for. A storekeeper named Sorwell looked into the bedroom through] the window and saw Petersen lying in the ' position described above, and Dr Munr'o was immediately sent for. The doctor and constable Shiels arrived about the same time, but Petersen was dead. Deceased had been working for Messrs •Charles O'Niel and McGuire for some .time past, but he had been drinking <*7aty heavily of late, and from certain .remarks which he made to bis family' this morniag it is supposed he had been discharged by his employers. He stopped dfinkiDg-on Friday iast but it is believed that be v/as suffering from the effects of liquor w hea? i_<3 -committed

the rash deed which resulted in his death. Constable Shiels, on searching the body, found about half a rifle bullet in the shirt of the dead man. The bullet was very much disflgured. From the position of the wounds it seems that deceased placed the muzzle of the rifle to his forehead and,, pulled, the trigger with his thumb. '■ ] Anj inquest will be held on the body at the Caler donian Hotel, nt two o'clock to-morj-row.