SUICIDE AT WAT10A.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 281, 14 July 1888, Page 2

SUICIDE AT WATIOA.

A determined suicide was committed at Waitoa some time between Tuesday ard Wednesday, the victim being a man named Thomas Craven, amachine pattern maker by trade, but who had been doing odd jobs of late, mostly carpentering. Up till recently he lived in a two-roomed house, of which ho was the owner, close by the "Waitoa saleyards, but a short time ago he sold the goodwill of the land (about an acre) and premises to Mr Voysey for £GO, and this amount was deposited in the Savings Bank. When he sold the house ho wenb to Mr Hotchin's temperance boardinghouse, and stayed there until last Monday morning. Tt seems he obtained permission from Mr Voysey to reside for a short time in the house at Waitoa, and wag driven there on Monday by Mr Hofcchin. During the time he was staying at Mr Hotchin's he was very despondent, seldom speaking to any one, and apparently taking but little interest in the affairs of the township. The body was found at 3 o'clock on Wednesday, by two young men named Parr and Sweeney who had been sent by Mrs Voysey, who feared that something was amiss, not having seen Craven since twelve o'clock on Tuesday, when in passing she saw him moving about the house. Upon hearing of the sad occurrence Mrs Voyaey sent for her husband who went to the house and broke open the door, which was locked inside. He did not remove the body, which was hanging by a hemp rope across the ' rafters, but communicated -with Mr Abbey who wired for Sergeant Emerson. When this officer arrived the body was cut down and removed to the Waihou hotel to await an inquest. The rash deed was committed with a window sash line. This had been care- - fully bound round the scantling near ■ the door close to the bed, and it appears was borrowed from the blacksmith, Mr Jones, some six months ago. There was a good supply of food in the '

house, and on the table wag a loaf of bread partly eaten, a tin of jam, and about two pounds of butter; and the table had the appearance as it' the deceased had recently had a meal. The deceased left no letters assigning a cause for his rash act, nor was there anything in his old letters that pointed to trouble of any kind. Amongst his paper 3 was a photograph inscribed "My dear sister, Mrs Mackroll, Gisborne," apparently in deceased's hand writing. Monetary difficulties could not have been the reason of the suicide, for his bank-book, together with— the sum in the house, showed a ciedit balance of nearly £100. The last entry in the bank book was made on May 8, when the sum of £60 was placed to his credit, being the proceeds of the sale of his house, The total amount in the bank up to the present time wag £8G 12s 9d. Eleven pounds and eleven shillings were found in the house. Deceased was a native of Halifax, County of York, and was about 36 years of age- In 1868 he was apprenticed to a machine pattern maker, and completed his time in 1879. On his indentures his master states that during the time ho was in his employ ho was a steady and a very good workman. In a testimonial from Mr Lloyd Hargvaves, pattern maker, Halifax, it states that during seven years service Graven had always been found a good workman, strictly honest and truthful. Sergeant Emerson wired yesterday to his sister, Mrs Mackrell, at Gisborne, informing her of the mournful occurrence. The following reply wa3 received :—: — "Re telegram of Thomas Craven's death : Please wire particulars, — Joiin Wm, Mackrell." Ciaven was buried yesterday afternoon, the Rev MrLawry performing the service at the graveside.