MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.
CORONER'S INQUEST.
The town was startled this morning by the news that Hugh Graham — a promising lad of nineteen, who two years ago gained one of the Provincial Government Scholarships at the College — had committed suicide by hanging himself. The particulars will be best ascertained by a perusal of the following report of the Coroner's inquest, which was held at the Provincial Hotel at three o'clock this afternoon. The jury having visited the building, where the poor lad was found hanging, in which a hole had been knocked in the weather-boards, evidently for the purpose of inserting the pole from which he was suspended, the following witnesses were called: —
Harry Graham, twelve and a-half years of age: I live with my mother, who is a widow, and keeping the Provincial Hotel. Deceased, who was 19 years of age, was my brother. He was a tinsmith, working with our brother John. I was in bed when deceased came in about 10:30 last night. He came into my room and asked if I was there. I said "Yes," and he replied he would go down and tell mother. I heard nothing more of him. This morning I heard mother screaming from the yard about half-past six. I jumped out of bed and ran down, and found her standing at the door of the watercloset, and my brother hanging inside. She had a table-knife in her hand, and I took it from her, and stood on a box that was there and cut the rope. I do not know how far he was from the ground. He fell on his feet with his face against the wall. He was quite stiff. I then went put and ran for Dr Squires. When I got back the body was in the house. He had been in good spirits of late, but I don't think he has been happy. He never said anything about going away or killing himself. He has not been comfortable at home. The rope produced (a clothes-line) is that which I cut. It was tied round the neck in a slip-knot. The pole to which the rope was fastened had been used as a flagstaff. It had been newly sawn to that length. It was not in the closet yesterday morning. He appeared to be contented with his trade.
William George Jacobs: I am a publican, keeping the Albion Hotel, but I sleep in Bridge-street. I know deceased. He was at the Albion Hotel last night. He had two glasses of ginger beer. We walked up to town together. He did not appear to have anything on his mind. We had a glass of ale at the Wakatu, and after that walked on, and I wished him good night at the door of his own house. He never led me to believe that he had any trouble. I have frequently talked to and walked with him.
Rose Barry: I keep a lodging-house at the back of the Provincial Hotel. This morning between twelve and one I heard a kind of scuffiing, as it were, in the yard of the Provincial Hotel. After that I heard several noises in the same place until about five a.m., as though some one was moving about. About six o'clock I heard some one crying and screaming. I did not get up to see what it was about. About seven I was told that young Graham had hanged himself.
John Graham: I am a tinsmith, and brother of the deceased. He worked for me. He has been in his usual spirits lately. He was always very reserved and quiet. He never mentioned having been unhappy. I saw him last on Saturday night. He was very good at his trade, and did not appear to have any dislike to it. He never had any quarrel or disagreement with me.
Edward Patrick, Armstrong: I am a carter living in Bridge-street. I knew deceased well. I have seen a good deal of him lately. On Friday I saw him, and again last night between 7 and 3. I had heard that his mother objected to his being with me, and I asked him what it was. I thought at the time that he looked very low-spirited. He never told me that he was happy at home. I was shooting at the Maitai Butts when I heard of his death. He sometimes said that they had been jawing him at home. By "they" I understood him to mean his mother and his brother John. He never said anything about leaving.
Marion Graham: I am a widow keeping the Provincial Hotel. Deceased was my son. He came in about ten last night. I asked him if Harry was in. He took off his boots, and went upstairs to see, and came down and said he was asleep. I told him to put the lamp out and I would go to bed. He had some hot wine and water, and I left him having his supper. I did not hear him go out or upstairs. About half-past six I called him, and then went to the closet, where I saw him, as I thought, standing on the seat. I then saw the rope round his neck, and I screamed out and went into the house for a knife and called Harry. He came down and when he saw deceased he said; "Oh! Mother, he's dead," and then took the knife and cut the rope. Deceased fell with his face to the wall. Harry ran in and put on his clothes, and went for a doctor. He seemed quite right last night. He had on the same clothes this morning.
Sergeant Nash produced the contents of the pockets of the deceased, in which nothing was found to give the slightest clue to the motives which prompted the rash act.
A verdict was then returned to the effect "That the deceased committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind." -Nelson Evening Mail, 9/3/1874.
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