SAD SUICIDE NEAR WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 278, 30 November 1878, Page 5

SAD SUICIDE NEAR WELLINGTON.

Yeaterday afternoon (says tho APost of Saturday) we briefly announced that a telegram has been received by the police, stating ihat a man had cut his throat at the Silverstream. The unfortunate man was brought into town later in the afternoon, and lodged in the hospital, where, we regret to state, he died at 1.15 this morning. The atory of ihe unhappy victim, as narrated ,by himself before his death, is one of .the saddest things that it has ever been our lot to chronicle. It appears thaf- his name is George Coles, and that he waa formerly v miner down So^ffi. He gfates that he quarrelled with his friends at Christchurch, and that made him take to drink. He recently came up to Wellington, and there continued drinking until all his money waa spent. Hb adds tbat, being apprehensive that he hai an attack of deli Hum' tremens coming on and feeling acutely the horrors of that terrible disease, he went to the police and begged -them to lock him up. Tha police, having, of course, no power to do anything of lhe kind as the man hadjnot committed any offence, laughed at his fears, aod thj unfortunate then appears to have set out for Featherston, making his way on foot as he had no money. On arriving at Silverstream, hia horror at tbe prospect at an attack ot, delirium tremens appears to have come upon , him with renewed force. Feeling as he stated to the hospital authorities that "the devils were comio'g apon him," he jumped into the river and endtvoured to drown himself. The water wbs not very deep, however, and he found it impossible to keep his head under water. Failing io this attempt, the unfortunate man next went into a paddock at the side of the stream, belonging to Mr Thomas Colter, and cut his throat with a peaknife, inflicting injuries which, &s we have already stated, ultimately proved fatal.

From the medical elimination of the body it appears that the injuries inflicted by the unfoitunato miner were of a determined character. He appears to have first inserted the penknife on (he left side of his throat as far as the windpipe, and then, meeting an obstruction, to have withdrawn it. He then tried to stab himself io the windpipe, but only succeeded in inflicting a slight wound. Finally he plunged the knife into the right side of the throat. He also made an attempt to open a vein iv tha arm.