SUICIDE AT SPOTSWOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1916, Page 2

SUICIDE AT SPOTSWOOD.

J THE INQUEST. Tlic adjourned inquest ink the death of Whitcforcl .loiiii Hell Paton, who wau found ilend in his 'house, at Spotswood, early on Saturday morning, was continued at the Courthouse yesterday morning by Mr. A. Crooke, S. M., Coroner. Constable Boulton represented the police. Dr. E. V. Fookes said that ho had attended deceased for ,?ome time past for heart trouble, He was discharged from the public hospital about j month ago; witness had not seen him -.ince. While in the hospital deceased was not despondent, but on Friday witness received a Inote from him asking if the same treat-, Iment was to be continued, as he had not made much improvement. From the tenor of tlie note he gathered that deceased was becoming despondent, Had told him at the hospital that it was only by continued care and rest that he could expect to keep well, .as his condition was serious. Was called to deceased's house 1 at Spotewood at 2 a.m. on Saturday, and on going in at the front door found deceased in the passage-way, near the door, lying face downward. He wa.s quite dead, and there was- much blood on the floor! Lying partially beneath him was a pearifle. On examination found a small wound, with a blackened edge, in the 'left breast. Under the skin on the back, immediately behind the wound, witness felt a small foreign body such as would correspond to a pea-rifle bullet. Blood was oozing freely from mouth and nose. Deceased had all the appearances of (having died as the result of severe haemorr-i hage which had been caused by the woundn. The wound could easily have been self-inflicted. There was also a candlestick beneath tho body. Christina Futon, widow of deceased, said he had been ill for several months, and had been treated in the hospital till about a month ago. He was at times very unwell since his discharge'; lie became very despondent during these attacks. Had never given any reason Wiat he contemplated suicide. Saw him to bed Just before this he complained that lie could not breathe freely. Witness occupied another room, and before' leaving deceased said he was all right. Was awakened later by a report, and she heard other sounds which alarmed her. Called her sonsy got a light, -and went into the kitchen. Saw nothing there and went into the passage where.s'he discovered deceased. His feet were,at the door of his bedroom, which h close to the front door. He did nob appear to be quite dead then, as he was gasping slightly. Sent at once for the doctor and notified t%i police. Nothing deceased said or did 'ed witness to think that he contemplatea suicide. He was practically a confirmed invalid and did no work of any description; he could only walk for a short distance. The rifle was kept in a wardrobe in the boys' room, and the cartridges were in a drawer in the same room. The rifle had not been used for a long time. William Paton, a son of deceased, said that deceased went into the kitchen at S o'clock on Friday ?vcning, and was uneasy. He complained of not being able to breathe easily. Deceased said, "I think I 'kopo,'" which witness and his brother understood to mean that he was dying. But as deceased had used similar expressions on other occasions no notice was taken of the remark. The rjflei and, cartridges were kept in witness's room. Could not say if the weapon was in its usual place when he went to bed,

Constable Naughton gavo formal evidence as to going to deceased's 'house, and to the Temoval of the 'body to the morgue. The Coroner found that deceased committed suicide by shooting himself with a nca-rillc, but there was no evidence to show what was his mental condition at the time.