Suicide at Napier.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 259, 12 February 1889, Page 2

Suicide at Napier.

A MAN SHOOTS HIMSELF THROUGH THE HEAD. STRANGE STATEMENTS. Nafieb, last night. A man named Kennedy, living at the Terminus Hotel, here, shot himself with a small revolver in his bedroom late last night. Kennedy earned his living by selling books, papers, etc., on the Napier Railway station platform. As the deceased did not get up at the usual time this morning one of the inmates of the hotel went to awaken him, and discovered him qnite dead on his bed. No report of a pistol shot was heard during the night. Kennedy had been selling newspapers and periodicals at the railway station here for a considerable time, and his face was quite familiar to the travelling public. The deceased left a long letter behind him which he addressed to Mr Roulston. He said that laudanum and strychnine having failed to kill him on two former occasions he thought ha would try a revolver, which he borrowed from Mr J, Ross, telling him that he wanted to kill a dog with it. He owed about £lO, and did not know how he was going to pay it, and thought that shooting himself was better than going through the Bankruptcy Court. It was the first time in his life that he was unable to pay his debts, and this, together with the disease from which he was suffering, made him take his life. He did not belong to any friendly society, gnd consequently was unable to pay for the attendance of a doctor. He could stand bis sufferings no longer. Those who held the Heaven and Hell yarn would no

doubt say he bad gone to that hot region ruled by his sable Majesty the Devil, the treasurer to the clerical fraternity. He believed in cremation. There was the usual postoript at the bottom of the letter. It read, “ Napier not having advanced enough to have cremation I expect I will have to be placed in a wooden suit, You will please take possession of my things, etc., to meet the costs of the case. I hope that you will be long spared to watch over your family. My watch will be found below my pillow.” He only made one request, that they would bury hie little dog with him. They would find some strychnine in his portmanteau with which they could poison the animal. “ Please see Mr Ross,” the letter continued, “ and give him hick his revolver. I will start on my journey before daylight in order not to disturb anybody by the report of the pistol. There should be time during the day for the Coroner to go through the farce of holding an inquest over my body. I don’t dread to meet the Rulor of the world, as I never willingly injured any mortal. The letter was signed, “T. MoD. Kennedy,” The inqest' will be held to-morrow. The deceased shot himself through the head.