DRAMATIC SUICIDE AT AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3770, 4 March 1913, Page 6

DRAMATIC SUICIDE AT AUCKLAND.

DEATH RATHER THAN ARREST. £PR£SS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.} AUCKLAND, March 3. A sensational suicide took place at the Waitcm.ata Hotel last evening, the victim being a' young man named Adam Richey Cuthbertson, who, when arrested by Constable Brown on a charge of embezzlement, swallowed prussic add and expired. Cuthbertson had been employed for the past five years by H- B. Morton and Co. as town and suburban traveller. About ten days ago he was suspended, as it was alleged that he had been misappropriating the firm’s moneys. Since his suspension Cuthbertson had been on a motoring tour, and arrived in Auckland from Coromandel on Friday. In the meantime a warrant had been issued for his arrest, and the police had been endeavoring for a couple of days to locate his whereabouts. On Saturday Cuthbertson booked a room at the Waitemata Hotel under the name of Lindsay. He staved there for the night, and remained during yesterday. Shortly before 7 o’clock last evening, Constable Brown, of Mercury Bay, who was staving at the hotel, was conversing at the dinner table, when Cuthbertson happened to mention a motor car accident at Coromandel. Knowing that a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Cuthbertson, the constable made further inquiries, and later proceeded to the top storey and informed Cuthbertson that he was under arrest. The latter was much disturbed, and requested to be allowed to write a letter to his wife. Suspecting nothing unusual, the constable acceded to his request, and Cuthbertson sat down to write. Immediately afterwards, however, he expressed a desire to wash his hands, and the request was also granted. While apparently engaged in the act of drying.liis face, the unfortunate man reeled, and fell dead into the arms of the constable. He had taken a small phial of prussic acid, and the bottle was found in the folds of the towel. Cuthbertson had only been married for three years, and leaves a voung widow. The defalcations total £4OO. At the inquest to-dav a verdict of death from prussic acid self-adminis-tered was returned.