FOUND DROWNED.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1917, Page 3

FOUND DROWNED.

IN PUKBKURA PARK LAKE. ! Ear]y yesterday morning as a young man named Scott was passing through Ptikekura Park lie noticed a man's coat lying on the bank of the lake near the band rotunda, and on investigation saw the body of a man in the water. With assistance he got the body out, and the police having been notified it was taken to the morgue under the charge of Constable Nolan. The *body was that oil 'Frederick James Bateman, aged about 40 years, who was engaged in the railway service as a guard. He had been stationed at Waipuku but six weeks ago he was transferred to New .Plymouth on relieving duty. About a fortnight later he went off duty through illness, and had been under medical treatment more or less since then. Last week he left New Plymouth to return to duty at Waipuku, but came into town again on Saturday night to consult his medical adviser, Dr. Blaokley. He was suffering from insomnia and probably some internal trouble. He went to bed about 8 o'clock on Sunday night tout got up about two hours later and again went to consult the doctor after which he was not again seen alive. The deceased resided witli his father-in-law, IMr. W. N. Hopkins, at M 3 Leach street, his wife being at present an inmate of the New Plymouth Hospital. The first indication Mr. Hopkins had that there was anything amiss was the discovery early yesterday morning of a note on the kitchen table intimating his intention of committing suicide because of his sufferings and accurately stating where his (body would be found, The contents of this nate Mr. Hopkins at once communicated to Constaible Nolan, and almost immediately afterwards the constable received word that the body had been found.

INQUEST OPENED. An inquest was opened yesterday afternoon before air. A. Crooke, coroner, Plain-clothes Constable Fitzgibbon representing the police. George Hopkins, harness maker, deposed that the ibody lying at tho morgue was that of Frederick James Batoman, who was about 40 years of age and married to witness' sister, (hut there was no family. The deceased had been in bad health for some time; in fact, lie had never been a robust man. Ho always had, or fancied he had, some trouble, and iwas continually taking medicine. He was a low-spirited man. The inquest was then adjourned till Wednesday at 11 a.m.