SEAMEN'S SUICIDE.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 April 1919, Page 6

SEAMEN'S SUICIDE.

TRAGEDY IN THE STREET

TURNS REVOLVER ON HIMSELF.

EVIDENCE OF A WOMAN.

A man named Oscar Nelson, aged about 35 years, shot himself in the head with a revolver in Napier Street, Auckland, on Saturday evening, death being instantaneous. An inquest was held at. the morgue yesterday before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., who found that the deceased had committed, suicide.

A witness, Mrs. Eva Si fed, who resides with friends in Napier Street, said that the tragedy occurred jus* outside the house. She had known Nelson for about ten years. He was a Swede, having been naturalised in New Zealand about twelve years ago. He r.-ns a seaman. For some time past : he bad been depressed, and on two j occasions had threatened to commit j suicide. She believed that he was attached to her. On Saturday evening at about, half-past six o'clock, he had come to the house in wh'"i-> she was staying and asked her to go out with him. She assented and they went to a theatre. She noticed during the first part of the performance that Nelson | was paying no attention ' •■-> the picture. In the interval, when he went out. she happened to touch his overcoat, which was lying on the seat, and found that I there was a revolver in one of the ! pockets. She found it to be loaded, ; and quickly put it in her own pocket. i At the conclusion of the entertani- | meut deceased suggested that they ' should walTc home, and scorned quite | normal and cheerful. In Wcllesley ! Street, near St. Matthew's Church], ! Nelson suddenly turned round, arid, I grasping her by the arm, said in a low j voice "You thief!" He then tried to I get possession of the revolver, and. I despite witness's resistance, succeeded

Witness then left him, and asked a pedetrian to escort her safely to her home. As she was entering the residence, she heard a click, and turning saw Nelson crouching by the fence, revolver in hand. She ran inside, and then after a few minutes returned and "asked him what he wanted. He replied, "Come here.'' in an unnatural tone. She refused, and deceased walked away from the house. Almost immediately she heard a shot and with her hostess she rushed out into the street and found Nelson lying face downwards. The police were then informed.

Arthur Huddle, a resident in the. house, said that at about eleven o'clock on Saturday night he heard Mrs. Steed say: "Come down. Oscar ha s shot himself." He found deceased lying on the footpath in a pool of blood.

Further evidence in corroboration of Mrs! Steed's statements was given by Mrs. E. Strong and Constable T. Marr The latter produced the revolver, from which one bullet had been fired. One had misfired, which he said, aecountce for the click heard by Mrs. Steed before the occurence.