SUICIDE OF A LONDON MERCHANT THROUGH LOSSES.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 87, 30 December 1864, Page 3

SUICIDE OF A LONDON MERCHANT THROUGH LOSSES.

On Saturday afternoon an'inquiry-was held at Hackney, respecting the suicide of Mr. Groves, aged 42 years, a London merchant, lately residing at Chatham-placo Hackney. The Court was assembled.-in the dining-room of the father of the deceased gentleman, "where the fatal act was committed. " Mr. H. Groves, said that he was a corn factor' His brother, ' the deceased, was a merchant principally engaged in the corn trade. Since his death it' was found that , he was heavily involved; but as ho had never divulged the fact of bis difficulties, it had-beon .believed that he was prosperous. He had a partner," Mr. Todd^but that gentleman being in New York the whole .weight of the business' in this country, fell upon deceased. The difficulties, it was now found, were of long continuance. One If ew-TsSTork house owed £17,000., which he was long expecting with anxiety, but finally the money did not cc_me. On Thursday evening ' deceased L came *to Bichmondterrace at four o'clock, an hour when -he knew neither his father nor witness would be at homo. Witness -returned home as usual at five in'the,, evening and found him dead on the^couch'in the dining-room. On the table lay a tumbler, a large glass jar or bottle containing cyanide of potassium,and two letters. The principal -letter was. as follows ! — ** ». l Corn Exchange .Chambers, London/L.C. My mindis going.- -,1 cannot bear these'troulbs any longer; they niV great v and^hopeless. Oh, my poor wife ! Whuv is " to become of her ? I W God to forgive nu\' - There is great hope in this Holy Word. fHe that bejieveth in me, though he weio oca-*, -life shall ho live."' - \ Wt J. GLOVES. f_ Brealc it goiirlt-^io 77 andjive lierthi^- | 'J?lie-.,Witnc%s a&& ihitstho^trqubies i«j^^^

trbttblea. The second j)aper was unsigneapana was aa : — " " ' " • - - I cannot pass another day lilce tlua., Pp. not send to Helen until father. or Charlos can go to her. Send for Dr. Smith: God is a merciful, and not a revengeful judge. I feel at peace with' ■ The -witness stated that ho had no doubt^tliat the difllculjies and losses arising- from the American Wde had^ deprived the deceased of reasoning powers,- and so caused him to destroy bimaelf in a ■ . moment of insanity. Mr. Niblett. M.R.C.S., said that he was called in to the deceased and found him quite dead, and a strong smell of cyanide of po#tssium on his lips. .There was in, the largC bottle on the table a quantity of the poison sufficient to kill 150 people. In tho tumbler was a strong solution of the poison which no doubt tho deceased had been unable to finish. Cyanide of potassium was a mo3t deadly poison, and it was at present obtainable with too "much facility. on account of its common use in the arts. Tho deceased gentleman was a person of scientific tastes, and ho was fond of experimenting in chemistry. In that way it was possible that "lie might, have become possessed of the drug in question. Tho jury returned a verdict : — That the deceased committed suicide by poisoning himself with cyanide of potassium while in a 4tato of unsound mind ;' and the- jury desire to 1 draw attention to the danger of permitting the iudiaei'iminato sale of cyanide of potassium to unknown persons, and to suggest that-in all cases tho purposo to which so deadly a drug is to bo ■ plied should* -bo cfcvefully asm-tniucd.