THE WELLINGTON TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10134, 12 January 1911, Page 5

THE WELLINGTON TRAGEDY.

A -GUARD'S SAD EEXEATH.

PATHETIC LETTER TO HIS WIFE

I By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. How Robert Thomas Styles, railway guard, who shot "himself in the Bolton Street cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, met his end, was investigated by the City Coroner, Dr. A. McArthur, at the morgue this afternoon. Mr T. E. Neave appeared for the Railway Department, and StationSergeant Darby for the poliee. Arthur Wood Mouatt, Traffic Clerk,, said the deceased was employed as a • guard and stationed at Thorndon. He! had been on duty until Monday even- j iug last, wlien, in consequence? of anj apparent irregularity over a ticket he was temporarily suspended pending an enquiry. On searching the body at the morgue a box of thirty-seven cartridges was found in one of his pockets, and also a letter addressed, "To My Wife, Maggie Styles." I The letter was as under. | "Dear Wife. —I cannot face this trouble. It is not for myself so much as for you and the boy—dear old Wray. I know he will be a good boy; to his mother —perhaps a better boy than I have been. You will have a I few pounds l when lam gone. There is the insurance, lodge and sick benefit. You will find a few pounds in my drawer. Then there is my wages for the last month to. draw. This will leave a tidy bit with the furniture. I know you will forgive me for the rash act I am about to eoinfnit. [ have lain awake all night, thinking,, and another like it I cannot face, T ' know my friends will wonder; but I 1 cannot help it. Give my best love to | mother. The error I made was done Jon the spur of the moment, and I • thought I had destroyed the evidence. It was all against nie. I must draw this to a close as I am afraid I will not be able to face you again.—I remain, Your loving husband, Robt. T. Styles." The Coroner returned a verdict of I death from a gunshot wound self-in-i .flicted.