EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENC IN WELLINGTON.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2298, 29 July 1880, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENC IN WELLINGTON.

SECOND EDITION

A sudden death occurred in "Wellington this morning (says the Post of the 21st), the circumstances surrounding which arc of a most singular and painful character. It appears that a youth named Henry J.G. Smith, aged 18, was concerned in an affair on Saturday night, which resulted in the police laying an information against four or live boys for having used indecent and abusive language. Since that evouiug the police have been busily making inquiries with regard to the real culprits, aud amougst the names of the supposed offenders was that of Smith, who was engaged as shop-hoy in the establishment of the late Mr. Levy, bootmaker, of Lambton Quay. Smith, however, seems to have hoard nothing of the mailer till last evening, when, as he was returning home from work, lie espied a constable in To Aro proceeding towards town and escorting a comrade of his. Believing, as it is supposed, that his companion was being conducted to the police station for the purpose of being interrogated as to the circumstances which led to the charge of obscenity, aud fearing that he (Smith) would be called upon to attend the Resident Magistrate’s Court either in the capacity of a witness or defendant, he became excited, and the affair preyed upon his mind. On reaching home, shortly before 7 o’clock, he went to bed immediately, complaining that he did not feel well. Ho serious apprehensions were at the time entertained as to his condition, but in the course of a few hours it was apparent that he was suffering acutely from palpitation of the heart, and at 1 o’clock this morning, after ejaculating the words “God be merciful,” he expired iu his mother’s arms. For a considerable time past he had been treated for heart disease by the doctor of a Lodge in connection with the Order of Foresters, of which his father was a member—Dr. Harding —who has to-day certified that this disease was the direct cause of death, The deceased’s fncuds arc of opinion that the attack was induced owing to his fear of having to appear in Court, and that the unfortunate young man was literally terrified to death.