POVERTY AND SUICIDE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2263, 18 June 1880, Page 2

POVERTY AND SUICIDE.

SECOND EDITION

A ;-A !> KXJ.». At Ibo imjue.st in Dunedin, on Wednesday, ou the body of William ID. 0. ihigiamj, who was discovered in a diing condition on the footpath, on Monday night, ovidiiice was given shewing (hat the deceased was a civil engineer and surveyor, o'S years of age. and bad lately got in;o bad circumstances, through poverty and failing heal tin The following evidence was given I Malcolm John fhewart—-I am a police con-table, illation;*;! in Dnuediu. On Monday evening the last, witness cam;to me and informed me that a man was lying in ike porch of the Oohmial Dank. On going to the place, 1 found tie; deceased in what L thought to be a lit, and iiad him removed to the Hospital, win;re bo was found to be dead. On (be removal of the body to the Adciaido Hotel, 1. found the bottle and letter produced

on him. The Coroner then read the letter, which was as follows :

“ Cox’s Temperance Hotel, “ Machiggan street,

“ Dunedin, June id, IkoO,

“My Dear Friend, —lam so nervous that 1 can scarcely direct my pen, but t coulil not well do wlmt 1 am forced to do without saying a word of farewell to my last friend. “ t can no longer exist. I know not where to lay my head at night, or to find the price of a meal to appease the constant pain of hunger. You can have no adequate idea of the abhorrence with which 1 regard the idea of suicide, yet I am compelled to this course as the only one open tome. lam old, disabled from rheumatism. and cannot under the most favorable circumstances expect a long lease of life. If my mind was free as to the morality of the act, I would have no hesitation as to what t should do : but Mccing- myself so pressed by insuperable diiiieiihies. I have ou alternative. • —Yours in death,

“AY. C. Fxoi.axii

‘•'3?.S. —I have scon some people since I have written the lirst part of this note, and I sec no hope for me. Oh, David, it is dreadful to think that a man in the lull possession of all his intellectual faculties slnnhl he compiled to do what I am going to do. H is horrible. Yet, what can I do? Hodiing but that is left to me. Even as if all these things were not enough, (he conditions or life In Tew Zealand are enough to discourage anyone to endure life bore. Lily me, your poor friend,

AY. C. Exolaxd.”

Tho Coroner stated that the deceased no doubt died from the drools of strychnine administered by himself, and the jury returned a verdict to the effect that ho committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.