A TRAGIC AFFAIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1922, Page 6

A TRAGIC AFFAIR.

i RAHOTU RESIDENT’S DEATH, EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. Mr. A. M- Mowlem, S.M., sat as coroner at the New Plymouth Courthouse last night to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Charles F. McGregor, who was found lying in a room in his house at Rahotu on Sunday night suffering from a wound in the throat, and who died at the New Plymouth. Hospital on Tuesday night. Evidence of identification was given by deceased’s son, Gordon Forbes McGregor, who is at present on holiday at Rahotu. His father was 63 years of age and was a saddler. Since he had arrived home his father had appeared physically well, but seemed worried about business matters. He was under the impression that someone, his father could not say whom, was taking possession of a farm belonging to witness’ sister. He had no reason to worry over the farm so far as witness could ascertain. He did not appear to require watching, and had not mentioned suicide to him. Witness went on to describe the circumstances of his father’s death. On Sunday night about 10 o’clock they had had a talk about business in general, and later deceased had agreed to fill in the old-age pension forms. It became necessary to obtain his birth certificate, and he went to the front bedroom to obtain the certificate. As deceased was away for some time witness’ sister remarked on his absence, and witness went into the bedroom. On entering the room he found deceased lying on his side on the floor in a pool of blood. A razor lay, closed on a bureau in front of deceased. A doctor attended to deceased and ordered his removal to the hospital- Deceased had not sustained any monetary losses while witness had been away, but during that time deceased had not been able to obtain sufficient work to keep him going more than a couple of hours a day, and this seemed to prey on his mind.

Dr. E. A. Walker, superintendent of the New Plymouth Hospital, said the cause of death was exhaustion following free haemorrhage and septic absorption from the wound. Such a wound could be self-inflicted.

In returning a verdict according to the medical evidence, the coroner said the case was similar to others in the painful circumstances surrounding it. Plainly, it .seemed to. him, the deceased had suddenly become qbsessed with the idea that he had to get out of the world. The formal verdict would be in accordance with the medical testimony, the act having been committed during a period of intense mental aberration-