THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9121, 14 April 1908, Page 4

THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

Press Association. Invercargill, April 13. The inquest concerning the deaths of the victims of the Orinan street: tragedy concluded this evening. Archibald McLean, city missionary, said he had daily opportunity of observing Baxter’s relations with his family, and would say they were a very happy faniliy. Baxter !was not hasty-tempered, and witness had never heard angry words. Baxter had been ill about a mouth. Dr. Ewart described the wound, and added that insane people were liable to impulses which .may sometimes be of such force as to be irresistible, but may or may not bo signs of intellectual aberration. The chief feature of the disorder is an implnse to destroy, and may not he controlled by the'person.

George "McCarter, employed in Baxter’s shop and nursery, said thal on the Monday preceding the tragedy Baxter was pale, very quiet, and seemed in a low and weak state. He had seemed depressed for about a fortnight. At S p.m. on Tuesday (the night of the tragedy) ho went to Baxter’s house for instructions, and saw Mrs Batxer, who took his message to Baxter, and brought bach replies. She said Baxter’s head was bad.

Margaret Mcßohie, who had nursed Mrs Baxter through a recent illness, said that Baxter was kind to his family, but for a fortnight before witness left the house he had been complaining of pains in the head. Witness thought him far from sane. Ho would lie in bed* all day, sometimes go out for part of the day, and then come home and go to bed. During this fortnight he seemed miserable, and ate little. One night he took a bottle of laudanum from witness’ room, and when asked to return it said the bottle was broken. The jury found that James Reid Baxter committed suicide whilesuffering from implusive insanity," and that the other victims met their death at his hands while he was so suffering. ; The police were specially commended for their action in dealing with the emergency.