MELANCHOLY SUICIDE IN DUNEDIN.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 31 March 1863, Page 2

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE IN DUNEDIN.

(From the t>aily Times, March 25.)

The City Coroner (Dr Hocken) held an inquest yesterday afternoon, at the Royal George Hote 1 , ( orge-street, on the body of «tohn Green, who committed suicide by poisoning himself early yesterday morning. The circumttnn'cps of the c--e are of a most painful character, and the occurrence has created a sad sensation in the locality in which it took place. It appeared that the deceased, who was about 45 years of age, was a member of the medical profession, and had resided in Victoria, where he successfully practised his profession, for a cot' iderable period. According to the facts elicited at the inquest, the deceased came to Dunedin a few weeks jisjo, and stayed at the Royal G orge Hotel for a short time, until he went t • the Dunsf '.n, with the in f ntion of starting in business as adocter. H^ did not, however, it appears, sue ceed while in (he country, and returned to town a jw days ago in a state of dUippointrnent. He had, during the time he was stayih? at the Roy il Georga, been vpi-y rpserved in his manner and abstemious in his habits, and little was known of him or his affairs further than that he had said on one occasion that he ha i made sufficient money by his profession on the diggings in Victoria to retire, as he thought, for the remainder of his daysj but he alterwards mot with reverses which had materially chan ed his position in life. Early yesterday morn-ng groans were heard in the room in which the deceased slept, and it was soon discovered that he hfd taken a large dose of strychnine. The first witness call: -l. was William Towers, Who oil being sworn said, he was the landlord of the Royal George Hotel in Ddnedin. He had kndwii the deceased for (he last six weeks. He stayed at the hotel for a few days after his arrival in Dunedin, and then left for the diggings, stating that he was going to commence practice in his profession as a surgeon. T'-e deceased returned to town four or five days since, and again lodged at witness's hotel. On Sunday last "deceased asked for the lo n n of a book, ari wituers gave Hrn several, and he selected a novel, at the same time s^yinsjj that it was light reading, and would relieve his mind. Deceased did not seem despondent, and appeared quVe rational. On Tuesday morning, from what lip was told by the servant, he went to deceased's room and found him lying on the bed. He (witness) n«ked deceased what he had been d >g, ai d he replied to the effect that be had spent all t'"e mon: ] y he had, that he \\.'\ nothing more to payh*-3 way with, and that he had better quietly put himc If out of the way. He sent for a doctor, and the dccc.ised w e sub .equently taken in a dray to the H- -.pital, according to his o-vn wish, but brought trek again dead. Witness had discovered since that decer.sed's box contained medicines. He had never noticed anything eccentric in the deceased's ma"neri

William Christie deposed that he was an enjji- I Deer residing in Adelaide, South Australia! He j was at present staying at the Royal George, Dune- J din. He- saw the deceased for the first time on Saturday night, and he then told witness that be was a professional man, and had been to the Dun- I stan to practice as a doctor, but not liking the place 'c had returned. At that time witness did ! not observe anything 1 peculiar in deceased's manner. He slept in. the text room to the deceased, and about half-past six on Tuesday morning he heard him get out of bed. He afterwards heard '■im groan very heard him groan very heavily, several persons went in to deceased's bedroom, and shortly afterwards he (witness) went in and saw the deceased lying in his bed apparently in great pain. By a Juror — Witness had noticed the deceased was particularly quiet at all times, and seldom spoke at the meal table, fie did not hear him say anything when he saw him lying on. his bed on Tuesday morning. Dr. David O'Donogbue, being sworn, said lie was a legally qualified medical practitioner. On Tuesday morning about seven o'clock, he was called to seethe deceased at the Koyal George Hotel. He found him suffering from severe convulsions and tetanic spasms. The detfeasad was able to speak, and in order to release him from pain, he, (witness), administered chloroform. He form' a paper containing strychnine in the room, but did not ask deceased whether he had taken poison. From the peculiarity of the symptoms, he imagined the deceased had done so. The paper found in the room contained about a quarter of «in ounce of strychnine. The packet had evidently been opened* Deceased did not say that he had taken poison in his (witness's) hearing, but he heard from other parties that deceased had 6aid so. He had since chemically examined tho contents of the parcel, and found it to be strychnine. He had no doubt that death was caused by poison. In reply to a witness said ho had never seeen anyone sulVaring from strychnine before, but was well acquainted with^tlie symptoms of tbat

poison. He administered chloroform to allay v as he never had- any hopes of thedeceased'i covery. He believed 'the poison had been in t system so long (about an htfur and half) that could not be counteracted by any antidote, j could not' say in" what Way deceased took £ poison ; he might have talcen it in a dry state, considered three grains ctf strychnine su&cie&i cause death. .- .-. ' ■«- Thomas Trumbell deposed that be was an holder, living at Otarie, Mataura East. - Be the deceased were fellow lodgers at ,the Bi George Hotel, and he had conversed with deees. On Sunday or Monday, in the course of'ot matters, the deceased told him' that he. .w& Surgeon, and had came from Victoria, where" practiced his profession on the diggings. Deeej said he bad made a good deal of money, and retired on an independence, but had afterwj failed in his object. On Tuesday morning, 2 insfc., he heard a heavy breathing and moat in deceased's room, and, shortly afterwards, out thu lodgers went to the door, and deceased quested him to open it. He then went,', hut into tfie deceased's room, and heard him call hot brandy, which was procured him, but he un ible to take it, his jaws beirgj clenched. 1 noss endeavored to force his teeth open with handle of a teaspoon; but although he belief drop or two went in his mouth, he could succeed in opening his mouth. He then not in the room, the packet produced. Deceased asked, in the presence of witness, what he been doing with strychnine, and he replied tha had taken ten grains of it. On being -asked hfi did so, he replied that he was tired of his The doctor then came, and administered a mm emetic, and afterwards a dose of chloroform* ' deceased was, according to his own wish, lie lieved, removed to the hospital. By the Con, I should think about half an hour elapsed froc time I heard deceased breathing hard and removal. I was in and out. of the room durinj whole time. Deceased was clearly able to s when he asked for brandy, but when the * brought it up he was unable to open his a his teeth being; clenched.

Wm. Carotk, boots at the George Hotel, dej that he saw the deceased when he was dying, told witness that he had taken sufficient sfc nine to kill two strong men, but his constifJ was so strong that it had no effect on him.

ness asked him why he had done so, and here! (hat he had spent his last penny, and thl 'should not be missed in society, and he thoulj wns time for him to go to his last home. Wa accompanied the deceased to the hospital, acl his way there he begged that the dray mijjhtß and that he might die, as he knew nobody & do him any good in this world. Wheng arrived at the hospital the dray stopped witlsj gates of that institution. Immediately on arfi at the hospital, witness presented a cerJ| which he had received from Dr O'DonoghS the assistant house surgeon, who sent for sjj other assistants, and after some delay the M surgeon came out and pronounced the deJS dead, and refused to admit him into the hM He th»n took deceased back to the hotel, jug previously begged tbein to keep him at the km as he thought the deceased was not dead ail time. The deceased did not show any si§| life on the way back. At least eisrht i|| minutes elapsed before either of the officials!! hospital saw the deceased. M John Worrell Hinds, billiard marker, at theg George Hotel, corroborated the evidence m former witness, adding that he had been reqli to take Dr. O'Donoghue's certificate J| Hospital. On arriving there he gave the o:|| Dr. Yates, who ordered the deceased to lit mitted immediately. lie afterwards told M thn wardsmen to take deceased out of tb?S but before doing so, he sent for Mr Drysdalß said when he came, that the deceased wajg and that it was useless to admit a deadfe Some minutes delay took place before Wl could see Dr. Yates, owing to the fact {l| eoukl not find anyone to take a message ttii The front door was locked, and ho knock||| could not make anybody hear. Wi Dr Yates carefully examined the deceas«j tried to make him drink before he pronoun;® dead. Jj§ This being the whole of the evidence, til retired to consider their verdict, and after{|| sence of about two hours, came to a f||j " that the deceased died from the effects of m nine, administered by his own band wlii!^ state of temporary insanity." pf