A PORT CHALMERS TRAGEDY.
Considerable excitement was caused at Port Chalmers on Sunday afternoon when intelligence was received that the body of a man, apparently about 60 years of age, had been found dead with his throat cut, in a portion of the bush near the New Cemetery. The discovery was made by Messrs A. Bauchop and McIntyre. They were strolling near the cemetery, when they walked across the body, which lay on its back amongst the scrub. Sergeant Geerin was at once communicated with, and, attended by Constable Tracey and others, he at once went to the place where the body lay and conveyed it to the morgue. Dr Cunningham (the health officer) was sent for, and stated that in his opinion the deceased had been dead about three weeks. The body is that of a man apparently from 55 to 60 years of age. It was clothed in it suit of pepper and salt coloured clothes, with an overcoat of the same colour. A silver watch and imitation gold chain was found in one of the pockets. The watch had stopped at 3.45 A purse containing £2 14s 6d was also found on the body, and about 2ft away from it was discovered an ordinary pocketknife "open," the blade and handle thickly encrusted with blood and rust. A portion of the Southland Times newspaper of January 11, 1896, with a receipt for £4 11s 1d from the Dunedin Hospital to J. McIntyre was also found.
A man named Archibald McIntyre, who to some extent answers to the description of the dead man, was an outpatient at the Dunedin Hospital some months ago. He lived at Mount Cargill in a hut by himself, and paid £4 10s to the institution in June of last year. When in town he lodged at the Coffee Tavern in Cumberland street, and was last seen there just before Christmas. He then said he was going to Christcchurch, but had since been seen at Port Chalmers. -Otago Witness, 18/2/1897.
INQUEST.
An inquest was hold yesterday forenoon at the Courthouse, Port Chalmers, before Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six, of whom Mr John Thomson was chosen foreman, on a man supposed to he Archibald McIntyre, whose body was found in the bush near the new cemetery on Sunday afternoon.
Alexander Graham, farmer, residing at Mount Cargill, said he had seen the body shown to the jury and recognised it as that of Archibald McIntyre, who resided near witness at Mount Cargill, on his own property of twenty-six acres. McIntyre used to go shearing every year and live on the farm during the winter. He always lived by himself, and witness was on friendly terms with him. He was a Scotchman, about sixty-two years of age. Witness had known him for thirty years in New Zealand, and believed he had a brother in Canada Last saw deceased alive on December 4. He was in the hospital for about eight months. Witness first took him to the hospital in April last, and part of the time he was an out patient. He had an operation performed on him in the hospital. Dr Martin had also attended him before he went into the hospital. He was tingle, very close in money matters, and very deaf. The last time witness saw him alive he seemed cheerful. Witness did not think he had recovered from his illness when he saw him last.
Annie Perry, domestic servant at Mrs McCarthy’s boarding-house at Port Chalmers, saw some clothing — an overcoat and stockings — at the morgue, and recognised them as belonging to Mr McIntyre, who boarded in the house at the latter end of January or beginning of February, staying two nights. It was the night of the Union Company’s picnic (30th January) that he came, he did not speak much. He seemed very low-spirited, and did not say when he intended to leave. His swag was left at the place. Witness was quite sure the coat was his. He had a pocket-knife. After breakfast on the Monday, the 1st inst, he asked for a stone to sharpen his knife, and witness then saw the pocket-knife (the one produced), which he sharpened. He teemed nervous, but did not appear the worse for drink. He left the house about 1 p.m., and witness did not see him afterwards.
Arthur Bauchop said: On Sunday afternoon, in company with Frank Keenan, I was going down a bushy track leading from the mouth of the railway tunnel, Port Chalmers, to the beach, and when about fifty yards off saw a body lying close to the track. It was fully dressed, the hat being over the face. I gave information to Sergeant Geerin, who accompanied us, and we showed him the body.
Sergeant Geerin said that at 4.25 p.m. on the 14th inst. the last witness informed him that a man was lying dead in the bush. The body was fully dressed. Witness lifted the hat, and saw that the face was beyond recognition, being in an advanced state of decay. He noticed some blood close to his right shoulder, about 4in from his head. The body was surrounded by thick under scrub. It was found about two chains from the new cemetery gate, down the slope looking over the graving dock. The body was not disturbed until the arrival of Dr Cunninghame about 5 p.m., but it was subsequently removed to the morgue, where it was searched, and upon it was found a watch and chain (now produced), £1 note (Bank of New Zealand), one sovereign, 14s 6d in silver, a leather parse, and receipt dated Dunedin Hospital, June 10, 1896, for £4 10s for board in favor of Mr Archibald McIntyre. Also noticed a large wound on the man’s throat — probably about 6in in length — and blood on the fingers of both hands. The knife produced he received from Dr Cunninghame. The overcoat and socks shown to the witness Perry were those deceased had on. There were no signs of any struggle on the ground. In his swag which he left at the boardinghouse witness found a paper from the Commissioner of Taxes, dated June 2, 1896, showing that he was the owner of section 12, block 4, North Harbor and Blueskin district; also two papers showing he had applied for an advance on a mortgage, copy of a will, and in the pocket of the overcoat a copy of ‘Daily Times' of January 27, 1897.
Dr Cunninghame said that about 5 p.m. on the 14th inst. he was called by the police to see a man who was lying dead in the scrub mar the new cemetery. The fingers and the palm of the right hand up to the wrist were well marked with blood stains, and across the throat was a gash 5in long passing through the skin, severing several large blood vessels and the windpipe. Blood stains, partly obliterated by the weather, could be distinguished from the neck to the coat and waistcoat, especially on the right side. Two feet from the body he found an ordinary pocket-knife, open, both handle and blade showing blood stains and rust. The knife was in a patch of blood 18in in diameter. The body was in a state of putrefaction, and he should think death had taken place between two and three weeks since. The body was well nourished, and appeared to be that of a man of about sixty years of age. On examining the neck found evidence of more than one wound, one being a direct stab. The knife produced would cause such a wound. Considerable force had evidently been used, and the left carotid artery, windpipe, and gullet were completely cut through. The cut in the throat was from left to right, and jagged towards the left. In all probability the man was sitting down, and fell back towards his right side.
The jury returned a verdict that the body was that of Archibald McIntyre, who had killed himself by cutting his throat while temporarily insane. -Evening Star, 17/2/1897.
Archibald McIntyre lies in an unmarked grave in the Port Chalmers New Cemetery.
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