SUICIDE OF DR. CAMPBELL A WARKWORTH PRACTITIONER POISONS HIMSELF. HE WRITES A CERTIFICATE OF HIS OWN DEATH.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 298, 12 September 1888, Page 4

SUICIDE OF DR. CAMPBELL A WARKWORTH PRACTITIONER POISONS HIMSELF. HE WRITES A CERTIFICATE OF HIS OWN DEATH.

Warkworth has just ben the scene o a sensational occurrence owing to Dr James Campbell liajing committed suicide by taking chlcroform. 1b appears that the deceasjd was addicted to drink, and according o his own written admission, this was the eason that he committed suicide. Thefacs areas follows :—: — ])r. Campbell occupie. a room at Mr Ragg's boarding - hems and was found in bed by Mrs Rajjg shortly before he expired. Restoratyes were applied, but without avail, as the deceased knew boo well what he wab about to have lofb any opening f r his resuscitation. Apparently the act was deliberately done, as letters wero left by the deceased which show such to have beei the case. Dr. Campbell was lakt seen at 10 p.m. on Wednesday. He w«5 bhen under the influence of drink. Oi Thursday morning his breakfast was bicught to the room by a member of Mrs Ragg's family, who came back and repotted that the doctor was asleep. Between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon Mrs Ragg called at the room and found Dho doctor breathing in such a laboured manner blab it caused her alarm. She called lor assistance, and then bathed deceased's head, ani also applied a galvanic shock, but without any efiect, and he expired ishortly af fcerwuv s. Information of tie occurrence was forwarded to Conatalle Haddock, of Warkworth, about 5 o'clock in the afternoon. He at once proceeded to Mr Ragg's house, where he found deceased in his usual bleepiig place. He was lying partly on his right side, undressed, and was tovered with blankets. The body was still warm, the eyes closed, the features composed, as if asleep. The mouth was clean aid partly closed, but the lips were very blue. The body seemed i*igid and the right side of the face nearest the pillow had tuned a dark colour. Life must have been extinct for some hours. The deceased was in the habit of keeping his drugs in hi? rocm. On the table was found an empty bottle which had evidently contained morphine.

AN EXTRAORDINARY DEATH CERTIFICATE. Amongst the bottles on the table wa 8 found the following note, which was in de" ceased's handwriting: — "Warkworth, September sth, 1.18 a.m. This is to certify that James Campbell, M.D., of Warkworth, did on or within four hours of above time die. Cause of death, broken heart, caused by inability to resist the damned glass. I should therefore advi°e the jury to state at once, 'Died because he was a fool.' P. M. unnecessary.— James Campbell, M.D." HE DISPOSES OF HIS OWN HEAD. An addendum to the letter was as follows :—": — " 1 should like Professor Halford, Melbourne, to ha\e my head, if anyone will i«end it to him. P.S. — In earnest, if I should be iound dead, I have died from chloroform administered by self, so do not make any fu&.<. about me. — J C. It is not at present known whether deceased had any friends in the colony. Ho came to Warkworth from Westport, New Zealand. Constable Haddock informed the coroner, Mr Angove, ot the occurrence, and accordingly the customary inquest was held yesterday before a jury of six. After considering the evidence adduced, the jury returned a verdict thatdeceased died from the effects of poison administered by himself while in an unsound state of mind, produced by exceh&ive drinking.