Poisoned by Carbolic Acid. Supposed Suicide in Albert Park. November 15.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 179, 20 November 1886, Page 2

Poisoned by Carbolic Acid. Supposed Suicide in Albert Park. November 15.

About seven o'clock last evening Constable Kilkenny, while on duty in Queen -street, was informed by Mr Joseph Thomas» grocer, of Wakefield-stre6t, that there was a man lying in the Park either dead or in a dying condition. Accompanied bjr his informant the constable hastened to the Park, and just under the trees a little above the Bowen-ftreet turnstile, and some half-dozen yards from the main path, be found a man lying on his face upon the grafcs. He appeared to be dead, and close beside him lay a bottle halflull of carbolic acid, and bearing the label " Poison," as well as the trade label of Mr Hudson, chemist. A messenger having been despatched for Dr. Haines," that gentleman arrived five minutes later, and after a brief examination of the body he pronounced life to have been extinct for fully an hour. The body was then removed to themorguoto await theinquest, which the Coroner (Dr. Philson) upon being communicated with, fixed to take place in Gleeson's Hotel at 230 o'clock this afternoon. After the body had been placed in the morgue it was identified by John Sinclair (barman at the Waitemata Hotel) as being that of Henry George Woods, who hid been board' ing recently at that hostelry, It seems that; deceased, who is about 30 years of age, came to Auckland a short time since from the VVaikato, where he had been gumdigging for three or four months previously. Beforegoing to the Waikato, he had boarded at the Waitemata for some four monthsi He was a single man, and was believed to. be well-connected at Home, as hehad been in the habit of receiving remittances, and notice of a, registered letter is lying at the hotel for him. He came out to the colony by the Rimutaka in March last. The body was welldressed, and smelt strongly of carbolic acid, while in the pockets the constable found two £1 note?, a threepenny bit, a silver watch, purse, pipe, knife, and pencil case> No reaeon ia assigned or can be auggeeted for deceased's rash act of taking his life, except that he was doubtless of a suicidal tendency of mind, inasmuch as his throat bears traces of having been stitched, and therefore affords ground for the belief that he had or.cc before made an attempt upon his life. Mr Fred. Cooper, assistant in Mr J. H. Hudson's drug and chemical store, Hobson and Victoria streets, informs us that the deceased purchased the carbolic acid from him at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and that before selling it he inquired the use for which it was wanted. Deceased replied! that he wanted it as a disinfectant, and as there was nothing in his manner to excite, attention. Mr Cooper filled the order, and cautioned him in the usual way not to leave the bottle lying carelessly about, as the car* bolic acid was poisonous.

The Bulgarian deputies have written to Mr Gladstone, appealing for assistance against the aggression of Russia. Count Bismarck vo>rs bis disbelief that England and Austria will resort to war in the event, of Russia occupying Bulgaria.