A SINGULAR SUICIDE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4921, 9 January 1895, Page 3

A SINGULAR SUICIDE.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, Tuesday, A njost sensational suicide occurred here this afternoon. Georgo Howard, aged 33, one of the partners in a concern known as the Anglo-American Soap Company, having its head-quarters hero, was arrested to-day on a charge of forging two cheques for small amounts. Howard,''who was in bed in a hotel at the Spit, dressed and accompanied the detective in a cab to' townismokingandchatting affably all the way, Just outside the police station Do«vo Kirby got out of the cab.and urning round saw that Howard a small bine bottle to his lips, Kirby dashed the bottle to the ground, and struck Howard a smart blow on the back of the neck, with the result that a quantity of liquid, in the mouth, was shot out. He examined the bottle and found that it had a portion of a prussic acid label on, Howard, despite restorative measures, died in about twffhours, ■. On searching him at the police station another full bottle of jrußßio acid was found: upon him. . ,

1 Howard was a widower, but leaves two daughters aged nine and seven. Little is known of him here, where he has resided about a year; but it is understood that he came from America. It was known that ho was in financial difficulties. He had been on a severe drinking bout, and it is surmised that he went to bed at the hotel with a view of taking poison there, The Inquest, Natier, Wednesday. At the inquest, tho ovidcnco showed deceased camo from Sydney about nine months ago. The death of his wife seemed to prey on his mind, and he took to drink to drown his cares and financial troubles. A verdict of death by taking a dose of prussic acid, was returned.