Coroner's Inquest.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 207, 18 June 1887, Page 8

Coroner's Inquest.

A . coroner's inquest into the circumstances attending the death of the deceased was held at the strangcrs'-room of the Auckland Club at noon to-day, before Dr. Philson, coroner. The following gentlemen were empannelled to act as a jury :■— H. Rees George, H. N. Abbott, C. I. Eller, Aitken, Carrick, W. Jeffrey, and William Lodder. Mr Abbott was chosen foreman. Mr C. E. Button, solicitor, was present to notice the proceedings on behalf of the friends of the deceased. Mr Superintendent Thomsom represented tho police. The jury having viewed the body where it lay in the Board-room, returned, and the following evidence was taken :—: — Charles Chapman, sworn, deposed : — I am a butcher in the employ of Messrs Hellaby Bros., where I also reside. I have seen the body of the deceased this day, and recognise it as the body of Frederick Alexander Whitaker. Yesterday evening, at 5. 15, I brought some meat across to the Club. I left the meat in the kitchen. I was just leaving when I heard the report of a revolver. The chief cook, Henry Clist, said "What's that?" aad called one of tho waiters to see what was the matter. I followed the waiter down the passage. The waiter opened the Board room and looked in. I followed him. I saw the gentleman lying on the floor on his face. He was bleeding from the forehead. He was gasping. I did not know his name at the time. I remarked the smell of gunpowder in the room, and saw the revolver (produced) 1 lying at his feet. I did not examine it. There was a quantity of blood on a tablecloth covering a long table in the centre of the room. I also saw a chair lying on its side, and there was a quantity of blood on the carpet near the head of the deceased. I sent for Captain Olive, who is the Secretary to the Club, and he ran off for Dr. Hooper. That gentleman came and examined the body, I sup porting eceased's head, Henry Jones, the wa iter, old me that the gentleman's

name was Whitaker. The deceased did not moan or move a limb while I was with him. I then left. Henry Jones, sworn, deposed : lam a waiter at the Auckland Club, and reside here. I know the deceased, and have known him ior two months. He was a member of the Club, and slept here on the previous evening 1 . At 5.20 1 heard a report, the cause of which I could not tell. It sounded like the falling of a window. The chief cook said to me "Is there anybody drunk in the Boardroom ?" I then tokl them that I thought not. He then sent mo- clown to see. I found the door closed, and on opening it saw that the gas-jet was lit. The first thing that attracted my notice was some blood on the table cloth. I then looked down and saw the deceased at my feet, and some blood on the carpet. I did not notice the wound on the body, and 1 did not stop. I ran back to the kitchen andinformed the chief cook 'hab Mr Whitaker was there. The chief cook sent me for Supt. Thomson. On returning to the room I saw a revolver on the ground and heard the deceased groaning. He was lying partly on his face and partly on his side. I then went over for Mr Thomson, and on returning saw Captain Olive, Dr. Hooper and some members of the Club in the room with the deceased. Before finding the deceased on the floor I saw the deceased in the hall of tho Club ab about a quarter to five. 1 passed him,, but did not observe what state he was in. He had lunch about 12.45 that day, but 1 remarked nothing strange about him. I did not know that lie can ied firearms about with him. Dr. Hooper, sworn, deposed : lam a duly qualified medical pi actitioner I have seea the body of deceased this day. 1 have been acquainted with deceased for 25 years. I last saw him alive at noon yesterday in this room. Ho then appeared to be in his usual etate of health. 1 had no conversation with him. I remarked nothing peculiar in his manner or appearance yesterday ; but for some days pa&b I noticed that he had been dejected sind did not display a disposition to talk, sv Inch was contrary to Mb usual manner. When I saw him he was perfectly sober. I noA er knew him to be addicted todrink. At about -V25 lasb evening I was in. tho Club when Captain Olive came and informed me thatMr Whitaker hud shot himself. I hastened tlo^'ii and found him in the room in which the jury have just viewed the body, and in the bimc spot. He was lying face" downward*. He was perfectly insensible. The left side of his face only was visible. Tho ii«lit hand was underneath thy body--the left stretched out on the floor. Thcie wa.- a qaa»tifcy of blood on the floor beside- hi > head, and also on the table-cloth. I aKo observed the revolver produced lying at his foot. One barrel had been discharged and the other live were loaded. It is quite a new weapon, and is maiked ''British Constabulary. " Theie i-> a .single hair of light biown colour caught by the trigger. On examining the body I found the" T% decoafccd was breathing fttenoriously, but was peifectly insensible. I turned him over and found a small wound, almost in the centre ol the forehead, a little to the right '-kle. ThiS hole penetrated the skull, mid seemed to take a downward and backw ardcour.ie through the brain, and fiactured the occipital bone ill the back^fff the skull but did nob escape bhiough the »calp. The bone was coin minuted at the back, and the injury was no doubl caused by the pistol ball. The wound at the front was not blackened, showing that the pistol must ha\o been held some distance off. From the direction of the wouud, J should imagine that the pistol had been held in the Tight hand. I think there is no doubt but th°at the pistol was discharged by the deceased himself, and intentionally. Ho survived till live minutes past six, and died without recovering consciousness. The only movement of the body was the heaving of tho chest. He was 40 years of age, and a solicitor by profession. His usual place of abode wad Hamilton. "Regarding his mental condition, I am unable to gne any opinion beyond that he was very moro-e and depressed in spirits. I know nothing about his affairs. The cause of death was the wound in the head, inflicted, I should think by his own hand. By Mr Button : My opinion as to the method by which he met with his death is mere conjecture. Henry Olive, Secretary to the Auckland Club, sworn, deposed : I have seen the body of deceased this clay. At 5.20 yesterday or a little later perhaps 1 was passing through the hall of the Club when 1 was informed by Jones, one of the waiters, that Mr Whitaker had shot himself and on going into the Board room found the deceased in the position described by previous witnesses. lam of opinion that deceased shot himself, but 1 cannot say whether accidentally _or intentionally. It would be very possible for a person handling a revolver incautiously to shoot himself through the heart. I did not perceive any smell of gunpowder in the rooms. Ido not remember speaking to the deceased yesterday, beyond saying' 'good mornfng "to him. For the last few days, I observed he was a little strange in his manner. He was silent and would moon about. He came into my office several times, which I thought somewhat strange, as 1 did not know him very well. He was not in debt at the club, but I should say that he was preseed for money. I never saw him the worse for liquor. The Board-room is usually shut up in the evening. I had no suspicion that the deceased contemplated suicide, and was not aware that he carried firearms about with him. Sergeant McMahon deposed to searching deceased's pockets. He found a tin of revolver cartridges, a phial of toothache drops from Aickin's, chemist, some silver, gold watch and chain, and some letters, which he handed over to deceased's brother. He was of opinion that deceased's death might have been caused by accident, but it was not likely. Graves Aickin, sworn, deposed : lama chemist, residing at Parnell. I know the deceased, but know nothing of the circumstances attending his death. I last saw the deceased alive yesterday, in the street, between twelve and one o'clock. He then appeared to be in his usual state of health and did not at that time remark a,nything peculiar about him. For some time past, however I noticed that he had been eccentric in his talk. I also observed than in some respect <.' ' > there was a i&sa'i .al flaw. He never spoke of suicide but made reference to the state of his heart and to life insurance. He told me that his life was insured in the Government office. He com. plained that he was suffering from lumbago. The conversation about his health arose through him telling me that he had been refused by one life insurance office and ac ; cepted by another. This concluded the evidence.