LOVE AND SUICIDE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 911, 31 January 1882, Page 3

LOVE AND SUICIDE.

The Argus of January 3, says A most determine! attempt to commit suicide was made at the btPaters Church of England Parsonage, Eastern Hill, on Sunday afternoon, by Mr Frank Harding M, A., a curate of the church, who was latterly engaged as master of a leading grammar school in Hobart Tasmania. It appears that Mr Harding, who is only twenty-two years old, recently returned from Tasmania for the ostensib'e purpose of spending the Christmas holidays, !>u t really to renew his addresses to a young lady with whom he had been on terms of close friendship when acting as curate at. St Peter’s Church. His attentions were not received in as favorable a manner as he desired, and in consequence he determined to put an end to his existence. Shortly after dinner on Sunday he took a 6oz mixture containing two drachms of of hydrate cf chloral, followed by a second dose of the same mixture containing between two and throe drachms of hydrate of cblond. The poison took immediate effect, and on the arrival of Dr Teague, who was sent for, the sufferer was found to be in a thoroughly prostrate and paraly sed ennditi in. The usual remedies were assiduously applied but owing to the poison having been taken immediately after a hearty dinner, no effect was pro duced for many hours, and it was not til( after powerful antidotes had been administered that the sufferer showed any signs of recovery. By unremitting attention, however, Dr Teague succeeded in counteracting the effect of the poison and yesterday, morning Mr Harding was considered; sufficiently out of danger to be allowed to go about. He seemed to bo determined, however, to put an end to his life, and plainly told Dr Teague and his friends that if he were not allowed to have his own way in the love affair nothing would prevent him from carrying out his suicidal purpose The counsels of his friends were disregarded, and although it was pointed out to him that the feelings and interests of the lady in question should he primarily consulted in such a matter, he only replied that he j would be willing to wait three or four i years if such a course was thought necea--1 sary. but unless the lady undertook to 1 marry him at some time or another lie

would commit suicide. It was at first proposed to call in the police and hand Mr Harding over to them for his own persona! safety ; out as it was thought such a course would end-*nger his prospects in life, an I cause him t' lose his appointment in Tasmania, the idea was abandoned. After a while Mr Harding appeared to give up the idea of suicide, on, being reasoned with, and no further notice was taken of the occurrence. Daring Monday afternoon, however, he purchased a mud) larger quantity of chloral, and made a second attempt to destroy himself. Op the fact being discovered he was removed to the Melbourne Hospital by the. Clerk at St Peter’s Church, where he was admitted shortly after five o’clock, and treated by Dr Deckhouse, one of the resident surgeons. He was tiien m a prostrate condition and partially unconscious, and although the usual remedies were applied he gradually sank, and died at half-past ten o'clock on Monday night.