SUICIDE.

South Canterbury Times, Volume XV, Issue 2061, 1 November 1879, Page 2

SUICIDE.

Ail inquest was held at the Queen’s Hotel at 2 o’clock this afternoon ou the 1: nly of the man Christian Arris who committed suicide yesterday afternoon by shooting himself through the breast with a gun. Air Beet-ham, coroner, presided, and after the jury was sworn in the following desposi Lions were taken;-

Inspector Pender, sworn, deposed: On yesterday evening from information received from a man named Ford I proceeded with constable M'Kinnon to a farm owned by Mr Talbot near the Saltwater creek on arriving there I saw the body of deceased lying about 100 yards from the camping ground. He was lying on his back both legs being slightly drawn up with a gunshot wound in his left breast and quite dead. Close beside was a gun (produced) showing signs that it had been recently used, the ramrod which was lying close to the gun appeared also to have been recently used. This watch produced I also found close the body. It had stopped at 4 o’clock. From the position of the gun close to the body of deceased and pointing towards the breast I concluded that ho must have shot himself. I then proceeded to the tent in company witli Ford, and on the bed I found the powder and shot here produced I also found a history of the French and German war, produced, with writing in German characters on the fly leaf I found a waistcoat containing a handkerchief which on examining I found to contain 34 sovereigns, £2 in notes and 5s in silver. I also found a broken ramrod, produced. Phillip Kippenberger sworn: I have translated the writing on the fly leaf of the book which had been written by deceased mostly in German, addressed to his father stating that it was then two o’clock and that he should be dead in the space of 25 minntes and bequeathing the money be possessed to his parents. His signature was written in English. William Arras: I am brother to deceased, and working with my father on his farm on the Levels plains. I identify the body as being that of my brother. He is 21 years of age. and left my father’s place about two years ago in a very sudden manner. Before that time he was not much given to studying. He never used to write home. I recognise the writing on the fly-leaf of that history, produced, as being my brother’s. Before coming to Hew Zealand he always worked with my father, who was a farmer in the old country. He was a cheerful fellow always, and never to my knowledge addicted to drink.

W. H. Ford: I am a ploughman, working and residing at Kingston. Deceased and I were working for Mr Talbot. On Tuesday last, he left his tent for Timaru, stating that he was to return next day. Idm not see him until yesterday at 1.30 p.m. I observed him go into the camp, and the next I saw ofhirahe waslayingdead near his hut, with the gun lying beside him; after which I immediately proceeded to Timaru and reported the matter to the police. I saw no writing on the book produced until yesterday. There was never anything strange about him while working with mo, except that on Tuesday he was studying a good deal. He was a man of sober habits, and I have known him since April last. He was very fond of reading. The gun produced belongs to me. The ramrod was not broken when he left on Tuesday,! saw nobody about the tent that day except deceased. Peter Birtic : lam barman at the Saltwater Creek Hotel, I know deceased. Ho had his dinner there yesterday at 12.30 and then proceeded towards his camp. He was quite sober when leaving the hotel, having taken only a drink of shandygaff. I noticed nothing strange about him that day. The jury then retired and after a lapse of about 7 minues returned the following verdict. “ That the deceased shot himself while in a state of temporary insanity thereby causing his death.