Information was conveyed to the police at 2.55 o’clock this morning that Mr Anthony Hayzen, residing in High street near the end of Hope street, had attempted suicide. Sergeant Golder at once proceeded to the house, and found, as informed, that Mr Hayzen had his throat cut. He was lying in bed on his left side with a great gash in his throat. There was a large pool of blood on the bed. Dr Ferguson arrived ten minutes later, and found a penknife in the pool. Deceased was then dead. From the statement of George Hayzen, son of the deceased, who slept in the same room with his father, it appeared that the latter had been suffering from a cold or low fever for about three weeks. Of late he bad been low spirited, and last night he went to bed about a quarter past eleven o’clock. The son was awoke some time after by the hard breathing of his father. He got up and was in the act of striking a light, when his father said "Don't strike a light; I have cut my throat." He then lit the candle, and seeing what his father had done, immediately called Mr Sperrey, who was in bed in the next room. Deceased had been in business in. Stafford street as a commission agent for many years, and was highly respected. An inquest was held this afternoon, but was not concluded up to the time of our going to press. -Evening Star, 18/8/1874.
INQUEST.
An inquest was held yesterday afternoon on the body of Mr Anthony Hayzen, who committed suicide at 3 o'clock that morning. The inquest took place at his private residence, in High street.
The Coroner, Dr Hocken (to the Jury): You are called to enquire into the circumstances attending the death of Mr Hayzen, a gentleman well known to you, who committed suicide, it is stated, this morning. The important question for you to say is whether the suicide was committed during the state of what is called temporary insanity, or wilfully — that is, whether it is a case of felo de se. 1 have no more to say until the evidence is completed.
The Jury were then sworn. Mr William Stavely was chosen foreman. The Jury then viewed the body, and on their return evidence was taken as follows: —
George Taylor Hayzen: I am a warehouseman, residing in Dunedin. The deceased, Anthony Hayzen, was my father. His age was 50. He was a native of Yorkshire, I believe. He was a widower. He was by occupation a broker. I went to bed at about 11.30 last night, and my father went at the same time. We slept in the same room. My father then seemed well, though rather anxious. At about 20 minutes to three I was awoke by a noise as of some one trying to throw up phlegm. I jumped out of bed and struck a light. I suspected nothing then. Directly I saw blood on the wall close to my father's bed by the glare of the light. I went and called Mr Sperrey. Mr Sperrey came into the room and said he thought my father had burst a blood vessel. Mr Moodie then went for a doctor. When I came back to the room I saw the blood on the bed; it was all over the bed by his head. He seemed conscious. I heard a noise as if he tried to speak, but could not distinguish anything. He made no movement with his hands, but kicked with his feet.
The Coroner: voluntarily ?
Witness: As though in a convulsion. Mr Moodie, who went for medical advice, brought Dr Ferguson, and when he arrived my father was dead. I then saw no knife about. I did not touch him then. My first impression was, as Mr Sperrey said, that he had burst a blood vessel; but I did not know what ailed him.
The Coroner: In your statement to the Police you are reported to have stated that your father said "Don't strike a light — I have cut my throat."
Witness: I am not certain he said so. I might have imagined that he said it. I am not sure, as he could not utter with sufficient distinctness when he tried to speak. My father, when he went to bed, was in better spirits than he had been for the previous few days. He had been very low-spirited from the cold he had. He had a severe cold with fever, and complained of being cold while he was burning hot. I took him to be low-spirited, as he was generally very jolly and full of fun, and he was not in his usual high spirits. But he never from his conversation led me to imagine anything like this, nor did he speak as though dreading any unforeseen calamity. We were playing cards before going to bed — Bezique and Whist. When we went up stairs to the bedroom, he asked me one or two questions about some goods in the store — whether they were all right. That was all he said, except when I put out the light, he said I was a very good nurse, or as good as a sweetheart to him. I have never noticed symptoms of insanity in him. I have been with him during the last eight months. Previous to that I had been away for five years. I never saw any sign about him of low spiritedness. Last night he made more mistakes at cards than usual. I do not know of anything that has been pressing on his mind that would give any explanation of this occurrence. I recognise the knife produced as my father's. I have not seen it for several days. I did not see it by his body this morning. None of his relatives that I know of have been affected by insanity. During the evening he never spoke of suicide — that subject never cropped up. He has been well occupied in business lately so far as I know.
Dr Alex. John Ferguson: About 3 o'clock this morning, I was called to come quickly and see Mr Hayzen, who was supposed to have ruptured a blood vessel. On arrival I found life was extinct. They had already discovered a wound in his throat. I found a large gash extending about an inch on the left of his wind-pipe to about three inches on the right, being about four inches long. It divided the windpipe very high up. He was on my arrival lying on his back, with his face towards the wall; the right hand was lying across the chest, open, and there was a large pool of coagulated blood on the bed. His left hand was by his side, or partly on the chest. I looked for a weapon, and in the pool of blood found the knife, which has been produced. It does not seem to me to be very sharp, but it is quite sufficient to produce such a wound. I have attended him for the last two days I saw him first on Sunday. I had not known him previously. He was then suffering from influenza, and in order to relieve it, had been, as he expressed it, "nipping up." He was then confined to the house. I saw him again on Monday; he seemed much better, and said he would be able to come down to see me at my office. He seemed to be much more cheerful then. He seemed when I spoke to him to be quite rational, but a little depressed. There was nothing which led me to think that he contemplated suicide. He said that he was very glad that he was able to get back to business. I did not see him afterwards alive.
John Sperrey, Sub-Treasurer of the Province: Between half-past two and three this morning Mr George Hayzen came to my room and called me to see his father. I slept in the adjoining bedroom. I was awake at the time. I went into the room and found a large quantity of blood lying alongside of him. I thought, he had burst a blood-vessel. I never dreamt he had done anything to himself. I asked Mr Moodie to run for the doctor. I went back again, held the candle over him, and found that he had cut his throat. He was then alive. I spoke to him. He did not reply. He was unconscious. His eyes were closed. I did not observe any attempt made by him to speak. I noticed no convulsion of the limbs. I did not find the knife. I did not look for it. He died in a few minutes after I came in. I had not, before being called, heard any noise. The dividing partition is of lath and plaster. I have known deceased intimately for 10 or 11 years. During the last few weeks he has been suffering from severe cold, and what I may describe as low fever. It was not accompanied by depression of spirits. He is not a man that shows depression of spirits; but I have noticed a forced loudness about him now and then lately. He seemed to be in his usual mental health last evening. At dinner he was much better than he had been the night before. The only thing I noticed last night was that, while we were playing whist — he was my partner — he made several mistakes, and I did not take particular notice of that till after occurrences brought them to my recollection. He was also a little restless, got up a few times and walked round the table — that was more noticeable. I saw not the slightest sign of insanity. He was not specially depressed in spirits; what I noticed in him I attributed to ill health. He was a keenly sensitive man. There was nothing, I felt certain, weighing on his spirits, and he had, during the past few months, been pleased at his son's arrival here, taking a house on that account. After I was in bed, about a quarter-of-an-hour before the occurrence took place, I heard a noise in his room as of someone kicking against a piece, of furniture. I listened, knowing that he was ill, and thinking he might need some attention; but, hearing no more noise, I did not get up; I am not aware that he previously attempted suicide. I have heard it rumoured that he had. I have lived in the same houses for five years with him. We have removed now and then, but have always lived together.
John Weston, law stationer: I know nothing of the circumstances of the commission of the suicide. I have known deceased for the last ten years, and intimately for the past six or seven years. I last saw him previous to his death about a fortnight ago; he was then complaining of cold. I noticed nothing unusual about him; no indication of insanity or suicide. He was a very even-tempered nun, and the very last I would think likely to commit suicide. So far as I know — and I would be pretty sure to know — I should call him a temperate man. I heard this morning that he had previously attempted suicide; but I am not aware that he had done so.
John Bell Mudie: I have known the deceased for five or six years, and intimately for the past three months during the latter time I lived at his house. During the past fortnight he suffered from cold and low fever. The doctor attended him on Sunday, and he stayed in bed all that day. Yesterday evening he was much better. I did not till the last two days see any change in his mental health. He became nervous and silent. Last night, while playing cards, he got up several times from his chair, walked about, and sat down again. He also made mistakes at cards that he did not usually do. I parted company with him at a few minutes to eight, and went to town. I saw nothing unusual in him, or nothing that would lead me to think he contemplated suicide. I should consider him a temperate man. During the past fortnight he has taken more than usual, but not enough I consider to injure his health. I know no reason for him to commit suicide. I have heard his circumstances are good: I heard this morning for the first time he had previously attempted suicide.
Sergt. Golder deposed that on being called to the house he found deceased with his throat cut. Dr Ferguson, who arrived a few minutes after, found the knife. It seemed as if the knife had dropped from deceased's hand. Witness made an examination of the room and found nothing of a suspicious nature.
The Coroner remarked that that was all the evidence. He thought, in the first place, the Jury would have no doubt that the deceased had committed suicide — there seemed not the slightest suspicion that a murder had been committed. It was for the Jury to consider and say whether the act had been done during a fit of momentary insanity, or whether it was an act of felo de se — self murder, committed while the deceased was in full possession of his mental powers and faculties. It really seemed to be, it was indeed, a very important question to decide. The evidence showed nothing indicative of insanity. Deceased's friends who had given evidence were men of intelligence, and had known him well, and they stated that they had not noticed the slightest indication of anything peculiar in him. The witnesses, Weston excepted, gave evidence as to the fact of his being rather low-spirited during the past few days whilst suffering from a severe cold and influenza fever. Such a depression was an accompaniment of this fever, and it was for the Jury to say whether that depression was sufficient to amount to temporary insanity, during which insanity deceased committed suicide.
If they did not consider it a case of temporary insanity, it appeared to him the only verdict they could come to, consistent with their oaths, was one of felo de se. It was stated that the deceased had attempted to commit suicide. He was sorry no evidence had been given on that point, but he (the Coroner) could tell them of his own knowledge that about nine years ago he attempted to commit suicide. That he (the Coroner) knew, and while it was not strictly evidence, the Jury could take it for what it was worth. It was very important to consider the question of suicide while in a state, of sound or unsound mind, as the law provided in case of felo de se confiscation of goods, and the denial of Christian burial. He (the Coroner) had shown the Jury everything he could on the point, but there was nothing to offer. The deceased's last conversation with his son was of a trivial character, on an ordinary business matter. It was quite possible that the slight illness from which he suffered might have so irritated the brain as to cause slight insanity, and hence the suicide. The question was a very important one. Some people thought that the very fact of suicide was proof of insanity. However, the law did not consider so, and he thought it would be a very unfortunate circumstance if it did.
The Foreman: Would not the fact of a man having attempted suicide, two or three times be a very good proof of insanity?
The Coroner said the law did not consider such an attempt as a proof of insanity. If it did, there would be no felo de 'se ; and he was going to say it would be a thousand pities if it did so. They could imagine a man bent on suicide, but deterred by the punishment the law held in store — namely, the disgrace attaching to his memory, the confiscation of his goods, and loss of Christian burial. If they had any doubt on the matter, it was but right to bring in a verdict of "Suicide committed while in a state of temporary insanity."
A Juryman: There was no cause for him to do it. What would tempt him if he were in his senses?
The Coroner: That is for you to consider.
A Juryman said he should like to hear some evidence as to deceased's former attempt at suicide. He thought it would bear greatly on the question at issue.
The Coroner said he did not know that any evidence of the kind would aid them in the matter, if they took the fact as granted that he had attempted suicide. They might, he thought, take it as an absolute fact.
The Foreman: He attempted the same thing in Englewood, Victoria, fourteen or fifteen years ago.
G. Hayzen recalled: My father never, that I knew of, attempted suicide before. I never heard of it it till you (the Coroner) spoke to me this morning about it.
The Jury, after a few minutes' consultation, returned a verdict that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity.
The Coroner: I am glad, gentlemen, you have found your way to bringing in this verdict, as it saves a great deal of disgrace. -Otago Daily Times, 19/8/1874.
FUNERAL NOTICE.
THE Friends of Mr Anthony Hayzen are respectfully invited to follow his remains from his late residence, High street, on Thursday, the 2uth instant, at 2 p.m., to the place of interment, in the Church of England Cemetery, South Dunedin.
DAVID TAYLOR, Undertaker, Hope street. -Evening Star, 20/8/1874.
Though the hour appointed for the funeral of Mr Anthony Hayzen was very unseasonable, about 50 gentlemen followed his remains to their last resting-place — in the Southern Cemetery. The Rev. R. L. Stanford, of All Saints' Church, conducted the service, which was most impressive. The body of the deceased, who had committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity, was committed to the ground "in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be like unto His glorious body." After prayers had been said, the service terminated with the Benediction. -Otago Daily Times, 21/8/1874.
Late Advertisements.
FRIDAY. 28th AUGUST, At 2 o’clock.
SUPERIOR HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE COTTAGE PIANOFORTE, &c.,
All quite new.
McLANDRESS, HEPBURN, & CO. have been instructed to sell by auction. at the residence of the late A. Hayzen Esq., High street, on Friday, 28th August, at 2 o’clock,
The whole superior household furniture, comprising — Cottage pianoforte, mahogany cheffonier, mahogany couch in haircloth, six dining chairs to match, dining table, tapestry carpet, fender and irons, door-mats, French bedsteads, palliasses, mattresses, bedding linen, chest drawers, washstand and ware, dressing tables and glasses, chairs, towel rail, carpets, floorcloth, kitchen tables, kitchen utensils, &c, &c., &c.
Terms at sale. -Evening Star, 27/8/1874.
Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.
