INQUEST.

Temuka Leader, Issue 987, 5 August 1882, Page 1

INQUEST.

An inquest touching the death of Robert Jordiae was held before J. Beswick Esq., Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr W. JRt. Uprichard was foreman, the Crown Hotel last Thursday. The following evidence was taken ; Catherine Jordine, wife of deceased. I saw deceased alive at 8- o’clock; on Tuesday moi'ning. lie was with me in the kitchen of our dwelling-house on the Arowhenua estate. He went out to go for the horses. About 20 minutes afterwards I wont out. I saw him hanging- I said ‘ What have you done ?’ I caught him in my arms, and tried to take the rope off his neck, but couldn’t. I then cut the rope with a knife. There was no sign of life in hjm I then went across the road for assistance. He seemed in his usual state when he left me that morning. I lived on good terms wilh him. I had no reason to suppose that he would do anything of the kind. He was 46 year# old. Francis Joseph Ellery : I am , in, the employ of Messrs J. T. Ford and Co. About 20 minutes past seven on Tuesday morning I was getting out of bed when I heard Mrs Jordine sing out * Frank, Frank, Boh has hung himself.* I went over to the stable and saw deceased lying down in the stall. I blew inhis mouth and examined whether was life in him, but he was quite dead* I saw a piece of rope there which hi# wife said was about his neck. I could see no marks od his neck, Th« rop# was used to hang up sheep after having been killed. I saw him last alive th# previous evening as his wife was putting him to bed. He was the worse for liquor. X had been out, with him all that day. He came home with me that day the worse for drink. I hava known him about three years, and he lived happily with his wife, He wen! Hilton on Saturday, and had ' been drinking from that time till his death. He had two drinks out of the bottle h# brought from the Spur Hotel on Monday. The body was warm whea I eaw it first. The jury returned a verdict to tbfl effect that deceased came by his death by committing suicide while suffering from temporary insanity.