SUICIDE OF A HAIR-DRESSER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2374, 26 October 1880, Page 4

SUICIDE OF A HAIR-DRESSER.

An inquest was held yesterday afternoon at the Court-house,Temuka, before R. Reetham Esq. Coroner, on the body of J. B. Glasson, hair-dresser, who committed suicide on Sunday evening. Eliza Glasson deposed—l am the wife of the deceased, J. B Glasson. My husband was a hairdresser, living and carrying on business at Temuka. He left homo about nine o’clock yesterday morning, in very low spirits, and had been so for some time past, The cause was reduced circumstances. He returned home about]eleven o’clock, and remained at home until 4- o’clock in the afternoon, when he went to the Crown livery stables to take back a horse and trap that my brother had brought to the house. He was away about an hour, and when he came back he appeared much more low' spirited. My brother had left while my husband was away. Thinking my husband had been drinking, I told him he had better go to bed. He said he w T ould do so, and while I was putting the baby to bed I heard my husband go outside. He returned in about Jive minutes, and noticing something very peculiar wnth him, I asked him what he had taken, lie denied having taken anything, and directly after he fell on the floor. I then called for assistance, and some neighbors came. Dr Hayes and Sergeant Carlyon were sent for, and when they came my husband was breathing heavily. He never spoke after having denied taking anything. After he denied takin.g anything I said to him, “ Yes you have, you have taken the carbolic acid.” The pcarbolic acid was on the mantleshelf

Ernest Clements—l am groom at the Crown livery stables, Temuka. I recollect seeing the deceased at the stables yesterday afternoon about half-past four. He asked me if I had any troubles. I told him no. The deceased then told me I was a lucky man. • I thought he had been drinking, as be seemed very queer. He staggered when he walked. Sergeant Carlyon deposed to visiting the house of the deceased on Sunday evening about half-past 7. Found him lying on the ground breathing very hard. His lips were very white. Found the bottle produced next morning in the yard ; there was a small quantity of acid in it.

Dr J. S. Hayes deposed—-I was called to the deceased’s house about 7 p.m. yesterday. The deceased was on the floor, breathing stertorously, and a cold sweat was over his body. The pupils of his eyes were dilated. Ho was insensible. I administered an emetic. The deceased died about twenty minutes after my arrival. I made a post mortem examination this morning, and I attribute the deceased’s death to taking carbolic acid. A spoonful of carbolic acid would cause death. The bottle produced contamscarbolic acid. I should think that the deceased had taken over an ounce of acid. This was all the evidence, and the Coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.