MELANCHOLY SUICIDE IN DUNEDIN.
(From the Daily Times, March 25.)
The City Coroner (Dr Hocken) held an inquest yesterday afternoon, at the Royal George Hote1, George-street, on the body of John Green, who committed suicide by poisoning himself early yesterday morning. The circumstances of the case are of a most painful character, and the occurrence has created a sad sensation in the locality in which it took place. It appeared that the deceased, who was about 45 years of age, was a member of the medical profession, and had resided in Victoria, where he successfully practised his profession, for a considerable period. According to the facts elicited at the inquest, the deceased came to Dunedin a few weeks ago, and stayed at the Royal George Hotel for a short time, until he went to the Dunstan, with the intention of starting in business as a doctor. He did not, however, it appears, succeed while in the country, and returned to town a few days ago in a state of disappointment. He had, during the time he was staying at the Royal George, been very reserved in his manner and abstemious in his habits, and little was known of him or his affairs further than that he had said on one occasion that he had made sufficient money by his profession on the diggings in Victoria to retire, as he thought, for the remainder of his days, but he afterwards met with reverses which had materially changed his position in life. Early yesterday morning groans were heard in the room in which the deceased slept, and it was soon discovered that he had taken a large dose of strychnine. The first witness called was William Towers, who on being sworn said he was the landlord of the Royal George Hotel in Dunedin. He had known the deceased for the last six weeks. He stayed at the hotel for a few days after his arrival in Dunedin, and then left for the diggings, stating that he was going to commence practice in his profession as a surgeon. The deceased returned to town four or five days since, and again lodged at witness's hotel. On Sunday last deceased asked for the loan of a book, and witness gave him several, and he selected a novel, at the same time saying that it was light reading, and would relieve his mind. Deceased did not seem despondent, and appeared quite rational. On Tuesday morning, from what he was told by the servant, he went to deceased's room and found him lying on the bed. He (witness) asked deceased what he had been doing, and he replied to the effect that he had spent all the money he had, that he had nothing more to pay his way with, and that he had better quietly put himself out of the way. He sent for a doctor, and the deceased was subsequently taken in a dray to the Hospital, according to his own wish, but brought back again dead. Witness had discovered since that deceased's box contained medicines. He had never noticed anything eccentric in the deceased's manner.
William Christie deposed that he was an engineer residing in Adelaide, South Australia. He was at present staying at the Royal George, Dunedin. He saw the deceased for the first time on Saturday night, and he then told witness that he was a professional man, and had been to the Dunstan to practice as a doctor, but not liking the place he had returned. At that time witness did not observe anything peculiar in deceased's manner. He slept in the next room to the deceased, and about half-past six on Tuesday morning he heard him get out of bed. He afterwards heard him groan very heavily, several persons went in to deceased's bedroom, and shortly afterwards he (witness) went in and saw the deceased lying in his bed apparently in great pain.
By a Juror — Witness had noticed the deceased was particularly quiet at all times, and seldom spoke at the meal table, he did not hear him say anything when he saw him lying on his bed on Tuesday morning.
Dr. David O'Donoghue, being sworn, said he was a legally qualified medical practitioner. On Tuesday morning about seven o'clock, he was called to see the deceased at the Royal George Hotel. He found him suffering from severe convulsions and tetanic spasms. The deceased was able to speak, and in order to release him from pain, he, (witness), administered chloroform. He foung a paper containing strychnine in the room, but did not ask deceased whether he had taken poison. From the peculiarity of the symptoms, he imagined the deceased had done so. The paper found in the room contained about a quarter of an ounce of strychnine. The packet had evidently been opened. Deceased did not say that he had taken poison in his (witness's) hearing, but he heard from other parties that deceased had said so. He had since chemically examined the contents of the parcel, and found it to be strychnine. He had no doubt that death was caused by poison. In reply to a witness said he had never seen anyone suffering from strychnine before, but was well acquainted with the symptoms of that poison. He administered chloroform to allay pain, as he never had any hopes of the deceased's recovery. He believed the poison had been in his system so long (about an hour and half) that could not be counteracted by any antidote. He could not say in what way deceased took the poison; he might have taken it in a dry state. He considered three grains of strychnine sufficient to cause death.
Thomas Trumbell deposed that be was a run holder, living at Otarie, Mataura East. He and the deceased were fellow lodgers at the Royal George Hotel, and he had conversed with deceased. On Sunday or Monday, in the course of other matters, the deceased told him that he was a Surgeon, and had came from Victoria, where practiced his profession on the diggings. Deceased said he had made a good deal of money, and retired on an independence, but had afterwards failed in his object. On Tuesday morning, 24thj inst., he heard a heavy breathing and moaning in deceased's room, and, shortly afterwards, one of the lodgers went to the door, and deceased requested him to open it. He then went himself into the deceased's room, and heard him call for hot brandy, which was procured him, but he was unable to take it, his jaws being clenched. Witness endeavored to force his teeth open with handle of a teaspoon; but although he believes a drop or two went in his mouth, he could succeed in opening his mouth. He then noticed in the room, the packet produced. Deceased asked, in the presence of witness, what he been doing with strychnine, and he replied that he had taken ten grains of it. On being asked why he did so, he replied that he was tired of his life. The doctor then came, and administered an emetic, and afterwards a dose of chloroform. The deceased was, according to his own wish, he believed, removed to the hospital. By the Coroner: I should think about half an hour elapsed from time I heard deceased breathing hard and his removal. I was in and out of the room during the whole time. Deceased was clearly able to speak when he asked for brandy, but when the witness brought it up he was unable to open his mouth, his teeth being clenched.
Wm. Caroth, boots at the George Hotel, deposed that he saw the deceased when he was dying. He told witness that he had taken sufficient strychnine to kill two strong men, but his constitution was so strong that it had no effect on him. Witness asked him why he had done so, and he replied that he had spent his last penny, and that he should not be missed in society, and he thought it was time for him to go to his last home. Witness accompanied the deceased to the hospital, and on his way there he begged that the dray might crash and that he might die, as he knew nobody could do him any good in this world. When they arrived at the hospital the dray stopped within the gates of that institution. Immediately on arrival at the hospital, witness presented a certificate which he had received from Dr O'Donoghue the assistant house surgeon, who sent for other assistants, and after some delay the house surgeon came out and pronounced the deceased dead, and refused to admit him into the hospital. He then took deceased back to the hotel, (text missing) previously begged them to keep him at the hospital as he thought the deceased was not dead at the time. The deceased did not show any sign of life on the way back. At least eight minutes elapsed before either of the officials at the hospital saw the deceased.
John Worrell Hinds, billiard marker, at the Royal George Hotel, corroborated the evidence of the former witness, adding that he had been required to take Dr. O'Donoghue's certificate to the Hospital. On arriving there he gave the certificate to Dr. Yates, who ordered the deceased to be admitted immediately. He afterwards told the wardsmen to take deceased out of the dray but before doing so, he sent for Mr Drysdale, who said when he came, that the deceased was dead and that it was useless to admit a dead man. Some minutes delay took place before he could see Dr. Yates, owing to the fact he could not find anyone to take a message to him. The front door was locked, and he knocked but could not make anybody hear.
Dr Yates carefully examined the deceased and tried to make him drink before he pronounced him dead.
This being the whole of the evidence, the jury retired to consider their verdict, and after an absence of about two hours, came to a verdict: "that the deceased died from the effects of strychnine, administered by his own band while in a state of temporary insanity." -Southland Times, 31/3/1863.
Dr John Green lies in an unmarked grave in Dunedin's Southern Cemetery.
No comments:
Post a Comment