VERDICT OF SUICIDE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 466, 25 February 1933, Page 5

VERDICT OF SUICIDE

(Special to "Post.")

te awamutu tragedy mysterious features in death of young butcher ARGUMENT WITH FRIEND

Te Awamutu, Friday. An inquest into the death of Walter Farrer Middlebrook, a,hutcher. aged 33, who was found with a bullet wound in his head in the vicinity of the.Te Awamutu Infants' School on January 23, was held here to-day, the coroner, Mr. G. A. Empsom. J.P., returning a verdict of suicide. The evidence effeetively disposed of the suggestion of foul play which was at first suggested and has aroused keen interest in the district. Ernest Joseph Ramsbottom said that Middlebrook had oceupied a room at the back of his residence* and that on Saturday, January 21, deceased had invited witness to go with him to the hotel for a drink. They had two medium beers hnd deceased had tea with him. Witness then drove a ff-iend home, leaving Middlebrook at home with his wife and children. Looldng through a window on. his return, Ramsbottom said that he saw the deceased kissing his wife. Angry Worls "I went into the kitchen," witness continu'ed, "and the deceased went to his room. I was naturally very angry about this and spoke to my wife and the deceased. Middlebrook said: "I'm guilty, Joe, it's my fault.' That night Middlebrook went to the pictures. About midnight I elosed the shop and then had an argument with my wife over the kissing incident. I was worry ing and brooding over the matter and I told my wife she would have to come with me and have it out with Middlebrook. So I went to his room in a rage, an'd swore at him. There was a struggle and my wife fell over a bucket there. He kept telling me he was guilty and that it was all his fault. I hit him on the chest with my fist and Middlebrook returned to his room. There were further words between my wife and me."

Smashed Things Up Continuing witness said that in his rage he later smashed the door of deceased's room with an axe and found the light on and the window open, but Middlebrook was missing. Mr. Thompson: J believe you cleaned up everything in the place with the axe?; — Yes, I smashed up the room. You took several bottles from your shop and smashed them there? — Yes, 1 hurled them at the pictures. You threw eggs about? — Yes. In reply to Mr. G. C. Downes (representing the relatives of deceased) witness said that Middlebrook was of morose and moody temperament, Albert James Westbury. night porter at the Te Awamutu Hotel, said that at 1.45 a.m. on January 22 he hearcLji noise at the back of Middlebrook's shop and that he saw the deceased, with a firearm in his hand, run towards the school. Dr. F. C. Blundell said it was elear that the shot had been fired at close range and said that from his knowledge of deceased over 14 years he did not think him one who would take his own life. Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson, of Hamilton said that in his opinion the rifle had been discharged with the muzzle close to the head. Mr. 'Downes: Do you think it was an accident? — I wish I could say so. I found no evidence of that. Everything was consistent with suicide. The coroner returned a verdict that deceased died from a gun-shot wound self-inflicted while suffering from strong mental strain.