SUICIDE IN DARGAVILLE.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 145, 13 May 1892, Page 5

SUICIDE IN DARGAVILLE.

Mr Fred Bould, well known in connection with “ The Ark ” at Dargaville, committed suicide on Wednesday morning by cutting his throat with a razor. The deceased was at one time a member of the police force in the South where he became insane and was confined in a Lunatic Asylxxxn. He recovered from his madness and came to live in Dargaville, where he has resided for many years past. He was a very hard di-inker, and it was no doubt due to this that he not long since ag-ain became mad and had to be committed Jto the Auckland Lunatic Asylum. He was released by the Asylum authori ms aboxxt a week ago aud returned to Dargaville on Monday last. He had an angry, despondent look, and stated that he had only returned for a day of reckoning ; he asked three times for his gun and revolver and evidently meant mischief. He only had one glass of beer in Dargaville since his return. On Wednesday morning he was found dead in the Ark with his throat cut from the right ear to centre and a severe gash in the fleshy part of each forearm. Deceased was horn in Bilston, England, and was about forty years of age, and we are informed that both his father and brother died in lunatic asylums. We cannot help feeling that the Asylum authorities ai-e much to blame in liberating such a character; had the man been able to secxxre his gun and revolver, or had he not taken his own life we would in all probability have had a more fearful tragedy to record. THE INQUEST. The inquest was hel l at Mr Haynes’Kaihu hotel on Thursday, May 11th, before Mr

Webb, Coi-oner, and the following jury:— Messrs Audus Baynes (foreman), J. Mitchelson T-T. t-t Tauior. W. A. Ford, E. Hillary, aim Percy F. Canyon, sergeant or police, stationed at Dax-gaville, deposed—The dead body viewed was that of Frederic Bould, who was committed to the Lunatic Asylum, Auckland, in September last. He returned to Dargaville, having been discharged, on Monday last. I saw him come off the steamer at the wharf and I saw him again between seven and eight w-hen I handed him the keys of his boat dwelling-house, known as ‘ The Ark.’ I saw him again iu the Ark about nine p.m. and I gave him a bunch of keys belonging to him. I had conversation with him and he asked after some of his property. I took careful notice of him to see whether he had been drinking and in my opinion he had not been. I saw him again on Tuesday about midday in front of his house ; he then told me how he was going to fix the Ark in its proper position. I took careful notice of him to form some opinion of the coiidition he was in ; there was no sign of drink upon him in any farm but his eyes appeared to me to he those of a despondent and angry man. 1 next saw deceased yesterday about one o’clock, in the xxpstairs of the Ark ; he was sitting up dead with his throat cut and both arms cut deeply into the fleshy side. I found a razor, evidently having been used by him, lying in his blaxikets close beside him. I searched him and found £3 10s on his body, but could find no papers to throw any light on the deed. I was informed yesterday that there was areport in the township that dene s •■.! > r'<'\

lying drunk in one of the hotels. , 1 made strict enquiries but have every reason to believe that he was not so lying. Charles Hollis , barman at Mr Raynes’ hotel, saw Bould on Monday evening and on Tuesday. He had one long beer and some bread and cheese before going to bed on Monday, hut had nothing else to drink since his return. Frank Sems painter, residing at Dargaville, helped Bould to unpack his things, He asked deceased how he felt and remarked that he looked dull and down-hearted. He last saw him aliv* at three o’clock on Tuesday afternoon ; tie was then standing inside the Ark and was in the act of closing the doors. In passing he asked deceased why he had not come in to dinner, and deceased replied that he had had his dinner in the Ark, having opened a tin of preserved meat. He saw deceased on Monday night and a good deal on Tuesday aud he did not think that deceased had had anything at all to drink. John Gillander, barman at the Northern Wairoa hotel deposed that deceased had not been in his hotel since his return and had had no di-ink from there. Audus Raynes, proprietor- of Kaihu hotel, deposed—l remember being in the Ark with deceased between seven and eight on Monday evening last. I was with him for about half an hour, helping him to look for some knives he had. I told him if he wanted a knife for his tobacco I could give him one if he went to the hotel. He then said he must find his razor, aud after a little trouble he found it in a box. He looked at it, turned it over and put it back in the box. I then told him we had better go out, as he seemed to be very down-hearted. I advised him to come to the hotel to sleep and return to the Ark in the morning. I also told him to cheer up, because he broke down in tears and said he thought he would do no good here. I remai-ked that he had better wait and see and if he could not do to sell out and try somewhei-e else. He then asked me for his gun, which he had pi-eviously asked for in presence of the sergeant. I told him I had it and would take care of it. He then remarked he had only returned to Dargaville for a day of reckoning with Mr Dargaville. We then left the Ark, and jxist at the little bridge he again pleaded for his gixn. I did not give it to him as I did not consider him fit to he trusted with it; any stranger could tell by his countenance that the man was not light. •-••!! if 1.-- 5. -i,seen him before. Deceased hau drunk ■ . . f e going into the Asylum. The Jury aft.i-r ash rtl ■ ■ u u,. t in a verdict timr •; miCl<ie Uy CUlrlrlg Lira .. . niist in an unsound stale of im.. ;,ed a rider that in the opinion i J..,y the Asylum authorities are bhi for having released Bould before he was thoroughly sane.