A young man named Alexander Scott committed suicide in Dunedin on Sunday afternoon by cutting his throat with a pocket knife. He had formerly been a bank clerk, but had been out of employment for some time. -Bruce Herald, 7/12/1875.
LOVE’S TRAGEDY.
Under the above heading the ‘Bruce Herald’ gives the following particular’s of the career of the young man Alexander Scott, who committed suicide in Dunedin on the afternoon of Sunday last:— A considerable time since he left Geelong, Victoria, where his father is a well-known timber merchant, and the owner of considerable property, to fill a position in the Colonial Bank, Dunedin. This he held, esteemed by all who knew him because of his courteous habits and gentlemanly disposition, up to within a few months ago, when, becoming involved in a love affair, in which he was unsuccessful, he rashly sought to drown the pangs of unrequited affection in drink. The result was his dismissal, a climax that only tended still further to exasperate him. His father at first allowed him a very handsome amount to meet his current expanses, L28 monthly it is said, but this was reduced to L16, and for the last two months the remittance, which was paid through an uncle, ceased altogether. Still it is averred he was not in want of money, but was able to pay his way, and he had the prospect of an appointment in the Harbor Department. It is just probable that his loss of employment, and the discontinuance of his allowance, tended to precipitate the fatal crisis. But those who knew him intimately, ascribe his sad fate directly, as well as remotely, to the fact that a young lady, with whom he had long been on intimate terms, and to whom it is believed he was affianced, recently married another. The knife with which he terminated his life was a parting present from an esteemed friend when leaving Victoria, another exemplification of the popular superstition that a sharp-bladed instrument forbodes ill-luck. -Evening Star, 11/12/1875.
An intimate friend of the late Alexander Scott writes to say that the story that a love affair had something to do with his sad end is a pure invention. The statement published was made on what we believed to be good authority. -Bruce Herald, 17/12/1875.
Dr Hocken, City Coroner, held an inquest at the Hospital on the evening of the 6th inst., touching the death of Alexander Scott, which had taken place under lamentable circumstances the previous day. — John Robert Cowie deposed that he had known deceased for fourteen years. He was twenty-six years of age, a native of Scotland, unmarried, and had followed the occupation of a clerk. His relations principally reside in Geelong, Victoria. He lodges in the house of Mrs Paget, Howe street, with witness, and of late had given way to excessive drinking, returning home in a state of insobriety almost every morning. On Sunday morning he came to witness's bedroom door, and asked him to get up, but he refused. Deceased again came, and commenced to burst in the door. Witness had a scuffle with him, and knocked him down. He still continued to annoy him; got a stick, and said he would horse-whip him, though they were the best of friends. Witness considered his conduct very strange, and he had a savage, peculiar expression about his eyes. He was evidently labouring from excitement produced by drink, though not drunk at the time. Witness saw nothing more of him until the time he was lying on the bed. Mrs Paget met him at the door after he had come from a walk in the afternoon, and begged that he would go to Mr Scott. The bed-clothes had blood on them, and deceased held up his head to look at witness, who immediately ran for a doctor. Recently he had cried at times, and mentioned that when he was wealthy it was his intention to go to Scotland; also, that his father was coming here in February. — The Jury, at the Coroner's direction, returned a verdict of suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity brought on by drink. -Otago Daily Times, 22/12/1875.
Alexander Scott is buried in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery.
No comments:
Post a Comment