SAD CASE OF SUICIDE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3628, 2 October 1890, Page 2

SAD CASE OF SUICIDE.

A Young Kan Takes Stryohuine. - ' SilCi of Llfo. .■■■ ' A profound sensation was caused in Masterton this morning when it was made knowu tlmt William Cameron, a young man well-known in this district, hadcommitted suicido Iby .taking stryehnine. h It appears that between eight and I nine o'clock last evening young Cameron left the Club Stables on horseback for the Opaki, whore ho resided with Ins uncle, Mr J: Cameron. About 10,30 o'clock a man n'amedJßrucei who was proceeding home from Masterton, found Cameron lying .on tho road near, the Opaki I racecourse, . having fallen from his horse, which was some little distance away. Oil being questioned he said he had poisoned himself. : Bruce' rode off immediately and reported tlie affair to the police. Constable O'Leary was despatched at onee to make : enquiries, and on his arrival fo'und several persons had congregated around Cameron, who again an-, fipunced that he had : taken pbisog.; At that time he appeared to be very weak, Tho dog-cart of Mr CookburnWalker was procured, and tho man wjts conveyed as quickly- as possible to Masterton, and to the surgery of Dr Beard, He was quito," conscious on his arriyal, and m reply to' ; Sergeant l'rico, who asked him why ho had committed the'rash deed,lie said, "I'm tired of, lifo,' 1 and made other similar remarks. In answer to the Sergeant ho said furthor that he had taken ten grains of strychnine at about eight o'clock in'a closet at the roar of. the Club Hotel. Tho Sergeant consulted with Dr Beard and asked liini if it would bo advisable to administer an emetic, The doctor replied that all. tho emetics in the world would do him no good, but injected a grain of morphia into his arm with the hope that that would counteract tho effect of the poison. The doctor appeared to ; bo very doubtful at the time whether the man had taken- the ten grains of strychniue, as there-.too not sufficient bymptoms of poisoning. Cameron was jolly enough during the whole time,and a?ked for a drink of water, at tho same timo maintaining that he had taken the poison. At about 1.80 a.m, tho doctor suggested that the man should bo removed, and he was accordingly taken to the Club Hotel, walking part of the way and being carried the rest. He was placed in an upstair bedroom, \ and having undressed himsolf was put to bed, At about 2 a.m, the doctor, thinking that the man would recover, left. Cameron was then quite conscious and was placed in the charge of Constable O'Leary. At about five o'clock the Constable became alarmed at his appearance, and went hurriedly for the doctor. On his arrival Dr Beard found the man to bo perfectly sensible and apparently in no pain. He left him again, but was called a second time about an hour later. This time he found the poor fellow to be in fits of convulsions," and almost as soon as he entered the door he threw up his arms and expired. The deceased, who was a son of Mr D, Cameron, of Kaiwarra was single and was about'twenty-one years of age. He was of a jovial disposition, and was universally respected. His sudden termination has therefore oast a gloom over the whole district, An inquest will he held before Colonehftobetts at 10 o'clook- tomorrow, morning.