A PAINFUL SUICIDE.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 353, 13 October 1898, Page 2

A PAINFUL SUICIDE.

DEATH OF MR W. J. M. LARNACH. HE SHOOTS HIMSELF IN THE HOUSE.

(r.v telegraph—press association). Wellington, List Night. A. most painful occurrence happened in the J Committee Room at the Parliamentary buildings between four o'clock this afternoon and half-past eight this evening, at which latter time the body of Mr W. J. M. Larnach. member for Tuapeka, was found dead with a sixchambered revolver in his right hand. One chamber had been discharged, and the bullet had entered his head almost in the centre of his forehead and slightly over the left eye. He was found sitting in a chair at the head of the table, and was quito dead with his head thrown back.

The last persou who saw him alive was Mr E. W. Kane, Parliamentary Bdl Reader, who about four o'clock in the afternoon saw him entering the Committee Room and exchanged a few words with him, after which Mr Larnach locked the door. Mr Kane thought he had locked himself in the room to attend to private correspondence. Twenty minutes afterwards Mr R. McKenzie, member for Motucka, tried the door, but received no reply. When Mr Larnach did not arrive home at tea-time Mrs Larnach became anxious, and made enquiries as to his whereabouts from Mr Mills, oue of the Government Whips, who made a search of the buildings, and, finding the J Committeeronm locked, had the door forced open, and the body was found as already stated. Mr Larnach was Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and a member of the Goldfields' Committee. At a meeting of the latter committee, which he attended this morning, he sat for a couple of hours without speaking, and his apparent despondency was the subject ot some remark by his fellowcommitteemen.