Sergt. Fraser received the following report from Constable Donovan of Okarito yesterday. The report is dated on Friday last: — Mr E. Ryan just reported to me that a miner named Edward Mortley committed suicide by shooting himself with a shot gun. I knew the man very well and he appeared to be hard working and sober but 'tis said of a melancholy turn of mind; about 48 years; 5ft 11in or so; was mining right at the head of Cook's River, together with two other mates named Dunkerton and Fowler. I will leave here about 10 p.m. and hope to be able to hold an inquest if possible tomorrow evening, when I will send you the usual report. 'Tis a very rough country from Gillespies to head of Cook's River. -West Coast Times, 30/10/1894.
An inquest was held by Mr Ritchie, J.P., at, Cook's River Gorge on Saturday night, the 27th October, on the body of Edward Mortley who was found close to his hut on the evening of the 26th. The evidence of Frederick Dunkarton, his mate, and Thomas Collins, who last saw deceased alive, went to show that deceased had been in bad health on the day of his death. He intimated to the latter that he would turn in for the afternoon as he felt a bit queer. Constable Donovan who took charge of deceased's effects, deposed that he found deceased lying on his back a few feet from his hut with a double barrel shot gun close to his side, one barrel of which was loaded, capped and at full cock, the other barrel appeared to have been recently discharged. The two fore fingers and thumb of the left hand were blackened as if done by powder. Mr Donovan's opinion was that deceased put the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger with his left hand, that was quite possible as the gun was only 3ft 2in stock and barrel together and deceased was a tall man, 6ft high. The finding of the jury was that Edward Mortley came by his death by a gun shot wound in the head inflated by himself whilst in a state of unsound mind. Deceased was a native of Kent (England) and had been prospecting about the Abbey Rocks some three years ago and getting tired of that locality went up Cook's River to try his luck. He was always known as a sober and steady man and straight forward in all his dealings. His remains were carried on Sunday last down through the Gorge to Cook's Flat by willing hands and thence on Mr Ryan's pack horse, which was no easy task, to Gillespies Beach, his last resting place. -West Coast Times, 6/11/1894.
OUR WEST COAST LETTER.
(From Our Own Correspondent) Ross, November 7.
Au Revoir.
The shock of the week is that Edward Mortley, a fine strapping man hailing from Kent, England, having got tired of sluicing at the Abbey Rocks, and of the world in general, one day last week took his short shot gun, loaded it, placed the muzzle in his mouth, put the forefinger of his left hand on the trigger, and pulled. There was a bang and then he was gone. The jury's verdict was that deceased died from a gunshot wound in the head inflicted by himself whilst in a state of unsound mind. -Otago Witness, 15/11/1894.
Edward Mortley's grave is unmarked.
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