EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A CHILD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1024, 31 October 1882, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE OF A CHILD.

Dr Diplock, Coroner for West Middle- , sex, held a long enquiry recently in the Board room of the Boys' Industrial School, Feltham, relative to the daath of Maurice Barrow, ten years of age, an inmate, who committed suicide by hanging himself on Sunday previous. Joseph R. Brook*, who was called to give evidence of identity, deposed : I am the Superintendent of the Feltham Industrial School. I knew the deceased, Maurice Barrow, as an inmate. He was ten years old. He was admitted on the 26th July last. To my knowledge he was never punished before last Sunday. Minor punishments may be ordered by the in. ferior officers. No corporal punishment can be inflicted except by my order and in my presenee. Seclusion for four hours may be ordered by the inferior officers. The seclusion is, in fact, deprivation of pl av —two hours at a time. While the other boys play, the punished is alone. The deceased's offence "would have been reported to me in due time. 1 know now that he was punished for inflating a live frog by blowing into it. He then squeezed it with his foot. There is no j list of punishments within the boys' observation, showing the offences that would be punished, but they are well known to the boys. The deceased was not here for stealing fruit.—Edward Plumber said : I live at the Industrial School, Feltham. I am labor-master. The boy had not been under me for more than about three weeks. There are j three labor-masters to 150 boys—day ] and night. On Sunday the deceased got \ a frog and inflated it and <vas about to burst it. I told the deceased he was 3 bad boy, and that if he were brought up he would be punished. In the afternoon I thought it over, and stopped his play. I put him in a cell. That was about 4.30. There was another boy implicated. He was put in another cell. I ordered the cell punishment because on reporting him he would be flogged.—The Rev William Anthony Newton said that at 5.15 he went into the deceased's cell, when he was horrified at seeing the boy suspended by a leathern buckle from a watsr pipe. —The jury deliberated for a long time, and stated that in their opinion the deceased hanged himself while of sound mind. —The Coroner said that was a verdict of felo de se.--The jury said it was. A verdict to that effect was then recorded.