THE TAONUI SUICIDE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9100, 20 March 1908, Page 4

THE TAONUI SUICIDE.

Judging from the letters left by F.,. Haase, who committed suicide at Taonui yesterday, by blowing him-* self to pioees with dynamite, he had: evidently determined some days before to commit the act. The deceased, who was about 26 years of age, had been working at Kawahatau the last, two years, for Messrs Bailey Bros., and was considered a well-conducted young man. He left the followingletters, the principal name from which we have suppressed. “Halcombe, Feb. 8, 1908.—Well, Fred—l can’t say much. Come atonce. Danger. . ” Halcombe, March 16, 1908.—DearMother, Brothers and Sisters, —I am sorry to leave you, but as is quizzing me for a thing that I never done, I am going to another laud. So good-bye to all. —I remain,, your brother, F. Haase. P.S. —You will find me in a hole of water in Halcombe not far from my grandfather. I will tell yon thehole is where I get this. It is al through at Haclombe. —F. Haase.

The following is evidently intended for a will: “March 16, from Fred Haase.—l .owe,, Charlie, my brother, £2O. So I give him this money which is £8 17s 6d, and the. horse that I left at Maugaweka, as I. have not paid him for the horse, and from Bailey Bros., Arch, and Alf., get for fencing GO chains at 4 shillings per chain, my share is £2l, and I have drawn £l2 iOs. So I have yet to come £8 10s, so give it all to my brother Charley Haase, of Taonui, and the tools that Jack Ryan and 1 won in Mat’s which half of them belong to me, jacksaw, wedges, 3 axes. —This is through , of Halcombe. So good-bye to all. y v THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Empire Hotel, Feilcling, this morning before Oapt. Mowlem, touching the death of the late Frederick Haase. Sergt. Bowden examined the witnesses, and Mr Sandilands was present to watch the case on behalf of T. F. Noffko. The jury were: Messrs Mackay (foreman), Groombridge, Sutton, Woolden, Redfern and Amor. Norman Clark stated that at 6.30 yesterday morning ho heard an explosion fn a hut three chains distant from where he stood. The hut was generally unoccupied. He informed Douglas Bailey about the explosion and three hours later they went to the hud and found human remains there, and reported the matter to the police.

T. F. Notfke was tin next witness. The letters quoted above were read with his name in the blanks. -He stated that, lie was brother-in-law of deceased and that he had written the first letter with the object of inducing deceased to come to bis house in order to discuss matters connected with the maintenance of Mrs Haase. Deceased came to the house last Sun day and iiad a friendly interview with witness, who accompanied him to the station. In regard to the second letter witness said that he could not understand why it had been written as lie never had made any charge against deceased. Witnesshad no idea what was referred as he had always been on good terms with Haase, though lie had only seen him three times since his marriage with Miss Haase ten months ago. Witness saw that there was nothing unusual about Hasse’s demeanour when he last saw him. It was stated in evidence that Mrs Haase, who lived near the wharo, knew nothing of the occurrence until the arrival of the police.

Evidence was given that deceased purchased on Wednesday from Darragh’s Feildiug store, 11b of dynamite, 3 caps and a coil of fuse. It was shown that had been cut off the coil of fuse, which was found in Bailey’s shed, 3 chains distant, after the explosion. The verdict “of the jury was that deceased met his death presumedly by an explosion of dynamite, and that there was no evidence to show how the explosion occurred.