HORRIBLE SUICIDE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 2

HORRIBLE SUICIDE.

(iJY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COBRKSI'OSDBNT.) Auckland, Friday. A giikat sensation was caused in the dis trict of Warkworth yesterday when a report was in circulation that George Brown, a gumdigger at Omaha Flat, had ended his life in a most tragical manner. Tlie rumour proved too true, for Constable Haddock discovered the body had bcon found shattered almost to atoms amongst a lot of burning wood. It appeared from the statement made by Matthew Yoreway that the deceased lived by himself and for the past few days had been seen gathering everything combustible including his garden fence and carrying it into his house, nothing however, was suspected and no one dreamed he was about to end his life. Yesterday shortly after daylight the nearest resident heard a report like a dynamite explosion, and immediately afterwards he observed the house of Brown enveloped in flames. The occurence was also noticed by two gum-diggers named Savage and Lloyd, who proceeded as quickly as possible to the scene. They found the house burning, and upon making investigation discoved the remains of Brown. The trunk was dragged from the burning debris, and it was then found that the legs and arms and the greater, part of tlie skull were missing. A few moments later the missing portions of the skull were found some yards distant. The place was searched, and a letter addressed to the coroner was found in the cleft of a stick which was stuck in the ground. It was signed " George Brown," and stated that the writer was tired of life. In it ho bid good-bye to a person named Green. The remains were taken charge of by the constable, and an inquest was held the same day before the coroner and a jury of six. The jury, after hearing the evidence. returned a verdict that deceased destroyed himself whilst of unsound mind. The deceased was a single man, and oO years of age. He was a native of London, and had been in the colony 25 years. He had no relatives.