Joseph Leamon, (1801-6/11/1876). "did not reply to his letters"

SUICIDE.

A premeditated and determined suicide was committed by a man named Joseph Leamon last night. Deceased was stopping at the Albion Hotel, Maclaggan street, and at about 9.35 p.m. yesterday he went out into the back-yard and returned into the billiardroom almost immediately, closed the door, and directly after a report of a pistol was heard. Mr Davies and others on going into the room found deceased in a reclining position on a form, with his back against the wall, and blood pouring from his head; and in his right hand a small breech-loading pistol. Deceased was then living, but unable to speak, and he expired ten minutes later. Six breech-loading cartridges to fit the pistol were found in his pocket. From the statement of Mr Davies it appears that deceased came here from Sydney on June 5 last, and had been unable to get work, and for the last six weeks had been unable to pay his board. He had been in a desponding state recently in consequence of this, and at not hearing from his two daughters in Sydney; and on two occasions had stated that if his daughters did not reply to his letters he would shoot himself. The body was removed to the Hospital, where an inquiry will be held to-morrow.  -Evening Star, 11/9/1876.

DETERMINED SUICIDE.

A melancholy suicide occurred at the Albion Hotel, Maclaggan street, about half-past nine on Sunday evening. Deceased, Joseph Lemon, a weaver by occupation, came from Sydney about June, since which time he had been boarding at the Albion, but, through not getting employment, became very morose. He wrote to his daughters, who reside in Sydney, for relief, but they never answered his letters, and he had threatened to shoot himself. No notice was taken of this threat, and though he appeared to be in a state of despondency during Sunday, no fears were entertained regarding him. Sometime after nine o'clock in the evening, he went into the billiard room, and shortly after the report of a firearm was heard, and upon the hotel proprietor and others entering the room, they found deceased partly lying on a form, with a small breech-loading pistol in his right hand, and blood oozing from his head. It was found that the bullet had passed through his ear, and in ten minutes he expired. Deceased, according to his own statement, was 75 years of age, a native of Yorkshire, and an Atheist.

The City Coroner (Dr Hocken) held an inquest at the Hospital on Tuesday, touching the death of Joseph Leamon, who died by self-inflicted injuries on Sunday evening. 

The Coroner: This, gentlemen, is a case, with the particulars of which I dare say you are acquainted. It is that of a man named Joseph Leamon, who shot himself on Sunday night. The pistol was fired in his right ear, and death took place almost instantaneously. It appears that he was in very distressed circumstances since his arrival here from Sydney. The question for you to consider is whether the man committed this act whilst in his full senses, or whether he was labouring under what is called temporary insanity,, It is quite possible, of course, that great depression of spirits, induced by want of work and means, might induce insanity sufficient for the purposes of the law; at the same time you should not lend yourselves too readily to verdicts of this sort, as I have long been of opinion that verdicts of temporary insanity are too frequently returned when there is not sufficient evidence to warrant them in doing so. I think it quite possible that a verdict of that sort is likely occasionally to prevent other would-be suicides from committing self-destruction. You will have to gather from. the evidence the state of mind deceased was in when he shot himself. 

The Jury having viewed the body, the following evidence was given: — 

Joseph Davies deposed: I am proprietor of the Albion Hotel, Maclaggan street. Deceased came to lodge with me on the 15th of last June, stating that he had that day arrived from Sydney. He said he was a weaver, and enquired if there were any factories where he could get employment. He could not get anything at the Mosgiel Factory, and said he was too old to work at pick and shovel. He informed me that he had lived most of his time in America, but had gone to Sydney to see if his daughter was married. As soon as he could raise money, he intended to go back to America; but of late he had been in a melancholy condition. He wrote to his daughters for assistance, but they did not reply to his letters, and he told me he would shoot himself. After that he was confined to his room for a time, and did not eat anything. He had a revolver in his possession at this time, but I was not aware of it then. When I saw him with the pistol, I wanted him to give it to me, but he said he had carried it with him for many years and would continue to do so. Last Sunday evening, about twenty minutes to ten, he was sitting in the sitting-room, talking with some of the boarders, and then walked into the billiard-room. About two minutes after we heard the report of the revolver. On entering the room I found him sitting on the form, with his legs hanging over it. The revolver was in his right hand, and, though speechless, he was not dead. He lingered about ten minutes, and then expired. Deceased told me that he was 75 years of age, a widower, weaver by occupation, and a native of Yorkshire. He had no religion whatever. He was a man of very sober habits. 

Witness enquired of the Coroner where it was intended to bury deceased. 

The Coroner said that was a question he was not prepared to answer. 

Joseph Kendall, a boarder at the Albion Hotel, had frequently seen deceased. He was very taciturn, and would not enter upon conversation; sitting brooding by the fire for hours together without making any remark. His other evidence was similar to that given by the last witness.

The Coroner directed the Jury that they would have to consider whether the nature of the evidence was indicative of insanity or not. If they returned a verdict of felo de se the law directed that the goods of deceased should be confiscated, denied him Christian burial, and cast a stigma on his memory. As far as the evidence went, it seemed to show that deceased was in a despondent state of mind. 

A verdict of "temporary insanity" was returned.  -Otago Witness, 23/9/1876.

Joseph Leamon was buried in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery, in an unmarked area of paupers' graves.