The phrase "unnatural act" is a little difficult to pin down as to its precise definition froma century ago. It seems with certainty to have reffered to homosexual acts between men, either with both parties willing or with one party not so. It also seems to have reffered to sexual acts between humans and animals. The trying - or, at least, the reporting - of such cases tended to be shrouded in euphemism, possibly to protect the tender minds of the younger family members who might have happened upon the daily newspaper.
The New Zealand "Truth" was happy to observe the proprieties with regard to sexual details. It was happy to pass on the gory ones.
SENSATIONAL SUICIDE.
SEQUEL TO A SUPPRESSED CASE
Witness Cuts His Throat. What Was There to Fear? — Faigan Full-up — Sought Solace in Suicide — Wife Relieved Him of Razors — But Aaron Severed His Arteries With a Knife.
In the Supreme Court at Dunedin the other day a Jury disagreed in the case in which one Henry Pollock, a Jewish gentleman who kept a tobacconist's shop in George street, Dunedin, was charged with having attempted to commit an unnatural offence. Publication of the evidence was prohibited, which is unfortunate in view of the subsequent sensational death of one of the witnesses. However, it is perhaps permissible for Truth to say that all the witnesses for the defence were Jews, one of them being Aaron Faigan, a, married man of 35 years of age, who carries on a tailor's business in Hanover-street. Ever since the jury disagreed, Faigan showed signs of much nervousness, and on the morning of November 25 he was particularly restless, and talked about parting with his wife. About one o'clock Aaron saw Detective Thomson in Castle-street, and left him with the delusion that the sleuth intended to arrest him. From that time until 1.50 p.m. he was in a state bordering on
NERVOUS PROSTRATION, and on two occasions his wife took razors from him. Later on be said he desired to go to an outhouse, and asked his wife not to follow bim, and she went only as far as the yard, thinking he had no weapon about him. Faigan suddenly slammed the door and his wife rushed in and struggled with him, but could not prevent his cutting his throat with a knife. It was found that Aaron had severed both arteries and must have
BLED TO DEATH in a very short time. Aaron had been worried over administering the estate of his late father, and a further cause of worry was an anonymous letter recently received, in which a threat to charge Faigan with a certain offence was made, unless money was forthcoming. At the inquest a verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane was returned.
In her evidence, Mrs Faigan said she struggled hard with her husband, and once had the knife out of his hand, receiving several nasty cuts on her hands and face. She called out for help, but nobody came. Several people came to the fence, but no further — if one of these had helped her, her husband's life could have been saved. -NZ Truth, 3/12/1910.
A TAILOR’S SUICIDE.
WORRIED TO DEATH.
Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Nov. 25. Aaron Faigan, about 35 years of age, carrying on business as a tailor in Hanover Street, committed suicide by cutting his throat.
Mrs. Faigan states that her husband had been worrying for the last week over being called as a witness in the prosecution against Pollock on a charge of attempting to commit an unnatural offence. All this morning he was in a very nervous state, ana talking of parting with his wife. At one o'clock Faigan saw Detective Thomson in Castle Street, and appeared to think the officer was going to arrest him for some offence.
From that time until 1.50 p.m. he appeared to be in a state of nervous collapse, and his wife took razors from him twice. Faigan then said he must go to an outhouse, and he asked his wife not to follow him. She went only na far as the back yard, thinking he had nothing with him with which he could injure himself. Deceased stood with his back to the door for a while, and then suddenly turned round and slammed the door. Mrs. Faigan hurried to him, and a struggle ensued, but she was unable to prevent him from cutting his throat with a knife. Mrs. Faigan also stated that the deceased had been worried over the receipt of an anonymous letter demanding money under a threat of charging him with a serious offence. He had been further worried over administering the estate of his father, of which he was one of the trustees. -Taranaki Herald, 26/11/1910.
DEATH OF AARON FAIGAN
A DASTARDLY ANONYMOUS LETTER.
An inquest touching the death of Aaron Faigan, tailor, of Hanover street, was held before the coroner, Mr J. C. Graham, on Saturday morning. Station-sergeant King represented the police, and Mr J. Wilkinson appeared on behalf of deceased's relatives.
The first witness called was Elizabeth Faigan, wife of deceased. She deposed that her husband had been much worried over the caso of Rex. v. Pollock, lately before the public, and also by the receipt of an anonymous letter wanting him to send money through the post to a name he did not know. It was an attempt to blackmail by the threat of an accusation against his moral character. He had also been much worried lately over the administration of his father's estate. On Friday morning he did not seem to be himself at all, and witness said she would send for a doctor. She told him he was losing his senses. He wanted her to leave him alone in the morning room, but she discovered a razor in his coat pocket, which she took from him. He got another razor from the bedroom, and that too she took away. His brother came and advised him to sit down, as he was very restlesc and excited. He said he was going out, and witness said she would go with him, as she was determined not to let him out of her sight. He said, "Don't follow me; you make it all the harder for me." Those were his last words. She told her sister to go for the doctor as she could hot watch him any longer. He went to an outhouse, and when he banged the door she ran to him and saw through the ventilator that he was pulling off his collar and tie. She rushed in, seized hold of him, and took from him a large pen knife which he had in his hand, but he got it back. She continued struggling, and received cuts on the hand and face. She called out for assistance, but nobody came. Some stood at the fence, and if they had come in she could have saved the deceased. She struggled with him until he fell down. When Dr Butement came he could only pronounce life extinct. Deceased left two children.
In reply to Mr Wilkinson, witness said her husband had high ideas of the honour of the family name, and could not stand disgrace. He was nervous and highly strung, and very hard working.
Joseph Faigan, brother of the deceased, corroborated the statements of the last witness as to the condition of his brother the previous day. He had been in a very excited state for the last two or three weeks over thoe case of Rex v. Pollock. Witness knew of the anonymous letter, but deceased did not tell him what he intended doing in connection with it. His brother was dead before he arrived at the house.
To Mr Wilkinson: Although deceased was excited witness never anticipated that he would put an end to himself.
Constable Sivyer also gave evidence. Dr Butment informed witness that the deceased had severed both carotid arteries, and must have bled to death in a very short time.
The Coroner said there was no need to hear further evidence, and there could be only one verdict. The cause of death was suicide by cutting the throat during a state of temporary insanity. -Otago Daily Times, 28/11/1910.
Rex v Pollock, in respect to the "unnatural act" charge, ended in acquittal. The verdict, had Aaron Faigan survived to give evidence, might have been a different one.
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