ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 262, 3 April 1914, Page 5

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

A FARMER'S SUICIDE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. Robert James Gilchrist, a well-known farmer, living at Bextoy, committed suicide last evening by shooting himself. Gilchrist was about sixty years of age, and unmarried. He lived alone on his farm. As one of the ground committee of the Oxford A. ami !\ Association, he on Tuesday did his share of the work in preparing the ground for the Oxford show, but it was noticed that he was not in his usual bright state of mind. Surprise was felt at his non-appearance at the show yesterday, and towards the afternoon some friends went out to bis farm to ascertain the reason for his absence. There was no sign of him about the house, and on entering, the party found a note on the table, bearing Tuesday's date, and worded, "I am oil' iny head; memory gone; sad end to a life spoilt."

The party then searched tile farm, and it was, not till darkness was setting in jtlmt the body was found in somemanuka scrub on a distant part of the farm with a gunshot wound in the head and a gun lying beside it. WKLLIXCTOX INQUESTS. Wellington. Last Sight. Inquests were held to-day concerning the death of Thomas Caldwell, killed by the breaking of a cargo sling on tli'o steamer Maitai, and James norland, found dead on the railway line near Xgahmirane/a' on Tuesday, 'in the first case a verdict of accidental tUvith was returned, and in the ease of Borland the Coroner found he died as a result of a fallfro m a train, no blame being attachable to anyone. The hupiest on the fatal five and explosion at the Upper Uutt opens tomorrow at the Upper Hutt.