SUPPOSED SUICIDE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2705, 8 January 1910, Page 7

SUPPOSED SUICIDE.

INQUEST ON BODY FOUND.

The following further particulars of the inquest held at Matatia on December 27, before Mr. Oliff'e Richmond, J.P., acting-coroner, touching the death of the man found dead at Matatna on the 25th December, have conjc to band. The body was supposed to be' that of a man named Hill, a painter of Opotiki.

Albert Poole, laborer, at Watutua, near Wliitikau, gave evidence that he was informed, on Monday 25th, December, by Stanley Parkinson, of Opotiki, that a inan~a. painter, had called at the whare of Edward Lord, roadman, at- Matatua. He was afterwards told that the man had disappeared. Parkinson further said that he considered the man had been on a heavy drinking spree at Opotiki, and he. thought lie was in the horrors. The man had drunk two bottles' of yeast at Lord’s whare, and wanted whisky previous to leaving on Monday evening. Parkinson said he intended to try to keep him at Lord’s whare till the effects of the drinking had worn off, and to get him to go back to his business at Opotiki. Witness understood that the deceased was left alone whilst Lord was milking, at that time Parkinson being at Matatua station. On December 25, witness was passing along the road between Lord’s house and Motu, and discovered the body of the deceased lying about ton yards off the road, at a. distance of about a mile from Lord’s house. The body was in a decomposed state, but be was of opinion that- it was that of the man who called at Lord’s whare.

Constable Miles Doyle, Te Karaka, gave evidence that he proceeded to the Motu-Opotiki road, near Whitikau, on December 27. He saw the body, which was very much decomposed, having apparently been dead for about a week. A hole, as if made by a bullet, was on the right side of the skull, just above the temple, there being a corresponding bole on the other side of the head, as if the bullet had emerged at that spot. On moving the body a five-chambered revolver, one chamber discharged, was discovered. A box of revolver cartridges were also found in deceased’s waistcoat pocket. It would appear from the way the body was lying that deceased bad committed suicide. On the body was found 11s 6d in cash, a handkerchief marked T.R.. or T.H., and a number of other articles.

A vedrict was given that the deceased came by his death as the result of a revolver shot would, apparently self inflicted.

Constable Doyle further forwarded a report stating that it had been ascertained that the body was that of Thomas Reid, a painter, of Opotiki.