WELLINGTON, June 18. A middle-aged man, Thomas Brown, who had been staying with his brother at Upper Hutt during the past fortnight, left the house about half-past 11 yesterday morning, and went into a washhouse. Shortly afterwards the report of a firearm was heard and deceased was found clasping a gun and with the side of his head blown away. Deceased, who was a single man, had been suffering from insomnia. -Ashburton Guardian, 19/6/1917.
UPPER HUTT TRAGEDY
THE INQUEST. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon by Mr. W. G. Riddell, Coroner, concerning the death of Thomas Brown,who was found on Sunday morning in a washhouse attached to a dwelling at Upper Hutt, with part of his head blown away and a gun in his hand.
James Brown, a railway guard, and brother of the deceased, in his evidence stated that the deceased was a single man, 38 years of age, and had been farming at Mildura, in Victoria. Just before June last year his brother sold his farm and enlisted, but was rejected as being medically unfit. He went under an operation for varicose veins, but it was not a success, and he was pronounced permanently medically unfit. He obtained a permit to leave Australia, and came to New Zealand. His health had been indifferent, and he complained of insomnia. He visited various places for the benefit of his health, and from Rotorua he came to the Upper Hutt about June 6, and lived with witness. On Sunday last he went for a walk, and on his return he told witness that he had had no sleep the previous night. About noon, while witness was sitting by the fire, his son told him he had heard a gunshot in the yard, and on going out witness found his brother had shot himself, the right side of his head being blown off. The gun must have been placed in the mouth. There had been nothing to indicate that his brother was developing suicidal tendencies. He apparently worried over the fact that he was unable to enlist.
The Coronor entered a verdict that Thomas Brown died from the effects of a gunshot wound, self inflicted, during a fit of mental depression. -Dominion, 20/6/1917.
Thomas Brown, 39 years of age, who committed suicide at the Upper Hutt last week by shooting himself, seems to have deliberately taken his own life in a fit of low spirits caused by his rejection for military service. How different from the slackers and shirkers who threw up good billets and cleared out to America in terror when conscription was about to be passed by Parliament. All poor Tom Brown's trouble arose from disappointment that he couldn't get away to the Front "along with the other boys." When the war broke out he was farming in Australian and at once sold out so as to enlist in the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force. But the doctors turned him down for varicose veins. Then he went to Melbourne to undergo an operation at his own expense in the hope that it might make him fit. But the operation was botched and the military authorities certified that he was permanently unfit.
He came to New Zealand, and, after visiting his parents at Ashburton, extended his visit to the Upper Hutt, where his brother, James Brown, is a Town Board Commissioner. But the fact that he was unfit to be a soldier preyed upon his mind until it became unhinged and he took his own life. At any rate if he could not fight for his country he did his best for those who are fighting. It is said that while at Rotorua recently he made his will, leaving £1000 to the Australian Wounded Soldiers' Fund, besides which he contributed nearly £100 to the Red Cross and similar funds. Poor Tom. He certainly did his bit. His spirit was greater than his body. -Free Lance, 13/7/1917.
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