CASE OF SUICIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 September 1921, Page 5

CASE OF SUICIDE.

FEAR OF BLINDNESS. ELDERLY MAN’S ACT. An old man, Frederick Cassidy, aged 69, a retired farmer, who resided in McLean Street, Fitzroy, was found on Saturday morning in the lupins on the beach near his residence with his throat cut. A razor was found in the pocketof his coat and deceased’s cap lay a few yards away. The deceased had been missing from his home since the previous afternoon, but a search party, including Walser Cassidy (son of deceased), H. G. Johns (son-in-law), Constable Hadler and Fitzroy residents, failed to find any trace of Mr. Cassidy, Senr., though the search was kept up till midnight. Mrs. Cassidy had proceeded to town just after one o’clock, leaving her husband alon-\ but he was missing when she returned. Messrs. Walter Cassidy and Johns, who reside at Riverlea, were then communicated with, and the search was begun that night. Resuming the following, morning, Mr. Johns found the body about 5.30 a.m. In addition to the above facts, which were adduced at the inquest held before Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., on Saturday, it was stated that the deceased had suffered from a chronic ailment of the eyes, and also senile arterial degeneration, both of which conditions gave rise at times to severe headaches. Dr. F. E. Fookcs, his medical adviser, stated that formerly Cassidy had been of good spirits, but latterly he had become more depressed as his eyesight became threatened. At the suggestion of Dr. Fookes a Wellington specialist was consulted, but the latter gave a very gloomy report so far as Cassidy’s eyesight was concerned. A course of treatment was advised, for which deceased was admitted to the New Plymouth hospital, but this did not stay the progress of the ailment. Cassidy had a fear of becoming blind. Describing ths examination of the body at the morgue, the doctor said the jugular vein had been severed and in his opinion death was due to haemorrhage. The wound in the neck was such that had Cassidy r.een discovered soon after it was in-. flicted his life could have been si veil. After other evidence was heard, the coroner found that death was due to deceased committing suicide while in a state of mental depression.