A NORMANBY SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 199, 20 February 1912, Page 4

A NORMANBY SENSATION.

WELL-KNOWN SETTLED SUICIDES,

Shortly after one o'clock yesterday the police at Hawera received a telephone message saying / that Mr. Alexpnde/ Bannatyne Stewart, of Normanby} hijd shot himself and was dead. On receipt of the information Dr. McDiarmid, at the request of the police, went to the .scene of the fatality, and shortly afterwards Dr. Thomson was also requested : to go out to Normanbv.

At ten minutes to one o'clock the telegraph messenger at Normanby went to Mr. Stewart's house with a telegraph message. Mr. Stewart was then M right. Shortly after one o'clock Mr„JI. Graves informed the stationmaster (Mr. A. Thomson) that Mr. Stewart had shot himself dead in his own house.

Later details show that at twenty minutes past one Mr. Stewart was getting ready to have a bath, which had been prepared for him by Mr. 0. Payne. Ati twenty minutes to two Mr. H. A. Graves, Who wished to take Mr. Stewart to Hawera, came back to the house and asked where he (Stewart) was. Payne replied that he was somewhere inside. They then went to look for Stewart, an*9 found him in his pyjamas in Mrs. Stewart's room, lying on her, bed, with a pistol-shot through his heart. He had Mrs. Stewart's photograph in one hand, and a book inscribed to him by Mrs. • Stewart lying by his side. No report" had been heard by anyone. Medical opinion* is to the effect that death must have been > practically instantaneous.