SHOCKING SUICIDE AT

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 216, 20 August 1887, Page 1

SHOCKING SUICIDE AT

Hknuy Frederick Harris, painter and docoiator, Wallsend, committed suicide by shooting himself with a revolver in his bedroom, at Thomas's Carrington Hotel. Harris of Lute had been very low-spirited, on account^ of monetary troubles, but nothing strange was noticed in his behaviour at 1 o'clock yesterday, when he went up to his room, having explained to Mr Thomas that he wished to write some letters. At 1.25 a lodger, who i slept in the f>ame room as deceased, went up and saw the latter standing in the room. About 6.-i«"i in the evening F. Davies, of Newcastle, went up to his room to say good-bye, and found Harris dead. Mr Thomas and the police were immediately informed, and Dr. Nash was called in. Deceased was found lying on his bed with v, six-chambered revolver in his right hand, and a bullet hole in the right side of his head. He could not havo moved after firing the shot, as the muzzle of the revolver was not more than an inch from his head. On the chair near the bed was & letter addressed to Sergeant Grennan, and also a piece of f.'tidboard with some figures, and the following memo to W. L. Thomas written across it : — " See that the letters in my box are ? s ent. You will get yourmoney. Good-oyo to all. — Henry Fr^dkkjuk Harris, 1.35 p.m. " An inquest was held by the coroner, Mr Martin. The letters found in deceased's box read a? follows :—" Jas. Corderoy, Esq., solicitor, 13, Brompton Crescent, London. My dear James,— Excuse paper, but J am in a huriy. By the time this reaches you I shall be in the gold and silent gv&\ c. The only wish I have is that I was amongst my own. Good-bye, good cousin. Yours truly, Henry F. Harris." The second letter was addressed to Henry John Hollior, Oakjands, Aberdare, Glamorganshire, .South Wales, and read as follows : — " Dear Cousin,— Good bye, when you get this the last of the old school will be gone. Give my love to my two cousins. I have not heaid from Rose for years. Goodbye.—H. F. Haiibis." The other letter wa-* addiessed to Scrgoant Grennan, thus:—" I his line is to say that nobody is implicated. I take my own life, as I am disgusted with life." Sergeant Grennan said he had known the deceased for some time. He was a widower, 4G years of age, a signwriter by trade, and had a son who is a .solicitor in England. He was addicted to drink, but was well behaved. On the 3rd instant he told witness not to be surprised to find him a corpso in bed some day The verdict of the jury was to tho effect that deceased came to his death by a self-inflicted bullet wound.

Billy Emerson, the negro minstrel, is one of the richest men on the stage, according to the " Philadelphia Times," who says that he has a property in San Francisco which is assessed, for ovor 100.000d015., and Mrs Emerson has property worth ovor half a million.