SUICIDE IN DUNEDIN.
(From the Daily News.) It is our painful duty to record the termination of another existence. It appears that at about seven o'clock Friday morning, the body of a man was found in Constitution-street, strangled by being tied to a fence with a pocket handkerchief. The legs were upon the ground, one being bent under the other, almost in a kneeling position. The body was still warm when discovered. It was immediately cut down and conveyed to the York Hotel, in George-street, where it now lies awaiting the coroner's inquest, which will be held this day. The body has since been recognised as that of Henry W. Eves, a lawyer's clerk, who had been in the employ of several legal gentlemen in this city, and recently had a desk in Mr Haggit's office. He was for a long time with Mr Pitman, solicitor, Sandhurst, and Mr Wilson, at Castlemaine, and bore a high character for respectability and honesty. He is about 30 years of age. Upon his person was found the sum of £ll9, in notes, gold, silver, and a cheque, together with a watch, valuable gold ring, a nugget of gold, two keys, a letter from a female, and sundry other papers. Strange to say he had on three coats, one quite new, evidently purchased the evening before, as the shop ticket was still upon it, quite fresh. We are given to understand that he was seen last evening in the Arcade, between nine and ten o'clock. The cause of his terminating his existence in so rash and unhappy a manner, is completely shrouded in mystery. Immediate want as a cause is completely out of the question, as besides the money found upon him he could make at least £l0 per week engrossing. It has been suggested to us that in all probability a love affair has been the cause of this unfortunate young man rushing so rashly into the presence of his Maker. However doubtless, at the inquest much light will be; thrown upon this truly melancholy affair. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 5/3/1864.
THE CASE OF SUICIDE.
An inquest was held on Saturday by Doctor Hocken, the coroner, at the York Hotel, George street, on the body of Robert William Eves, some particulars connected with whose death have already been published. After the jury had been sworn, and had viewed the body, which was lying in an outhouse, the following evidence was taken: —
John Macintosh: I am a carter, and live in Melville street. I knew the deceased for seven weeks, during which time he lodged in my house. I last saw him alive between seven and eight o'c1ock on Thursday evening. He had been complaining of being unwell, but this evening he was smiling. I spoke to him ns he came down stairs, and asked how he felt. He said, "I never felt better in my life." He asked my wife for a book he had lent her, "The Woman in White," and when she gave it him he asked me if I would like to read it. I declined. He then went out; but at the door he turned and said, "Adieu! Mrs Macintosh. Adieu! Mr Macintosh." I never heard him use such words before, but they did not at the time strike me as peculiar. He went out every evening, but he generally said only that he was going for a short stroll. He was very temperate and regular in his habits, and I never noticed anything peculiar in his manner, except that he did not like to be contradicted. He has told me that he preferred the Caversham Road for a walk, because of the sea air. I do not think he played cards or gambled, or even made a bet. I never knew anything about his money matters. I did not even know what he was until after his death. The illness of which he complained was a sort of headache and sickness at the stomach — such as there is a good deal of going about. I've felt it myself.
By Jurors: I know that the deceased went out to walk three times with a young woman who did some needlework for my wife She was up last evening and seemed to think this would not have happened if she had seen him. There was nothing like an engagement between them. I never was more astonished in my life than when I heard of what the deceased had done The young woman told me she had promised to meet the deceased near the Robin Hood last Saturday evening, but that she was prevented doing so.
Charles B. Brennan: I am a law clerk in the office of Mr Haggitt. I knew the deceased intimately for about 15 months. He was first in the office of Prendergast, Kenyon, and Maddock with me, and then in Mr Haggitt's office as engrossing clerk. On Thursday evening he left the office at twenty-five minutes after five o'clock, and, as was very unusual, without my accompanying him. I was preparing a deed for him to engross. He said, "I can't wait for you — I have to go." He appointed to meet me at half-past nine, but I was unable to keep it. He was to have given me some money, purely on private business. I always considered him an eccentric kind of man. He always wished to have the best of any argument; and latterly he made a great many mistakes in anything he had to engross, putting in words that were not in his draft. He told me privately that he thought he ought not to have been told to leave Mr Prendergast's office; and I think that preyed on his mind. He would earn about L8 a week, or if he worked at night he could easily make Ll0. I once said to him "You must have saved L100 or more, getting so good a salary." and he replied, "Oh. yes, more than that." He was very close as to his private transactions. He told me that I was his best friend; but when I told him once that I had seen him speaking to a woman in Stafford street be seemed quite angry. He told me he was a native of Kent, but had spent his time mostly in London; that his father and mother were living and that his father was a gentlemen but had got reduced in means. The deceased said he went to Sydney in 1852: and from there to Melbourne. He had been here 18 or 19 months. He was very regular and temperate in his habits. I believe that his name was Robert James Eves, and he had told me that he was 32 years old. He did not play cards, and he would not bet. He knew that his memory was defective and would not rely upon it.
By Jurors: He was very fond of talking about the drama and actors and actresses. He was well informed on most subjects and talked in a way that would not suggest that he was of unsound mind. But he got very angry about trifles that would not have annoyed any really sensible man. I'm sure he was not embarrassed in money matters. He was to have lent me money if I had met him on Thursday evening.
Thomas Jardine: I am a grocer and live in Royal terrace. About a quarter to seven o'clock on Friday morning I just looked out of the door, towards the Bay, and turning my head, I saw the face of the deceased. He was hanging to a fence, and when I went up to him intending to speak, I found that he was cold. He was hanging by a silk handkerchief. I went for assistance, and afterwards went for the police.
By Jurors: I would be an hour and a quarter from the time I saw the deceased until he was cut down by the police sergeant. I could not have saved his life if I cut him down. He was stiff-cold when I fetched the man. The man tried to lift his arm and could not. I was afraid to touch the body.
James Shirer: I am a constable and was on duty in George street yesterday morning, when a man met me and said that a man was hanging the deceased hanging to a fence. His right knee was very nearly touching the ground, but neither of them touched. I put my hand into his bosom and found it quite cold. I tried to move his arm, but the whole body moved, It was not more than 5ft. 3in. or 5ft. 4in. from the point of the fence where the handkerchief by which he was hanging was fastened to the fence. It was a round rail, and there was a piece of sawn timber placed against it, as though it was intended to prevent the handkerchief slipping down. There was not the slightest mark of a struggle in the neighbourhood. I had the body moved to this house. I searched the clothes and so did Sergeant Curran. We found about L120 in gold and notes, a silver watch, a gold ring, and a note which appeared to be from a woman, and is signed "E." The note was as follows: —
My dear Robert — Accept this trifling gift as a token of respect. I could not see anything that I liked Better than that. Keep it for my sake. I remain yours truly, "E."
Thomas Curran: I am a police Sergeant. I searched the body of the deceased and found L83 3s 6d in the trousers pocket, together with a small nugget, a pack of obscene cards, some memoranda concerning his business, and two medical prescriptions. Constable Shirer handed to me L40 13s 6d which he had found on the deceased, and a silver watch, and a deposit receipt for L10 from the Bank of New Zealand, dated 13th May, 1863. The cards appeared to be quite new, but the pack was not complete.
By a Juror: I have no reason to suppose that the cards were the "gift" referred to in the note. The one was in the trousers pocket, and the other in a pocket-book.
There was no other witness in attendance; and the inquest was adjourned to noon this day (Monday) to allow time for the police to find the young woman mentioned, and the medical man who wrote the prescriptions.
The adjourned inquest on the body of Robert William Eves, which was found hanging to a fence in Royal Terrace, London street, early on Friday morning, was held on Monday, at the York Hotel, George street, by Dr Hocken, the Coroner.
The following evidence was taken: —
John Jones Waters: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner. The deceased has been under my care. I prescribed for him five or six times at my own house, the last time being five or six weeks ago. He then told me that he considered himself quite well, and I did not see him afterward. He was not suffering from insanity nor anything likely to cause it. In fact from the conversation I had with him I considered him a very sensible man, with no tendency to mental disease.
John Currie: I am a legally qualified medical practitioner. The deceased came to me about three months ago and consulted me upon the state of his health. From the observations he made and his stating that he would never get well, I concluded that he was suffering from melancholia, and I made the remark to another person that I should not be surprised if he did harm to himself. I considered him very likely to become insane. He was much mentally digressed about his health. He left me before he had recovered, and I believe he consulted other medical men.
Emma Grenieu: I am a dressmaker, and live in Great King-street. I knew the deceased for a few weeks, but only from seeing him at Mr Macintosh's. I last saw him on the day of the laying of the foundation stone of the Exhibition. I did not write the letter signed "E." I never wrote to him at all. I have been out walking with him several times. I have thought that he did not seem happy in his mind, but he never mentioned anything that I thought was a cause of uneasiness. I know nothing whatever of his monetary or private affairs.
By Jurors: I was to have met him on Saturday, the 20th, but my business prevented my going. I have said that I thought if I had seen him on the night before, that this thing might not have happened; but I can't tell exactly what I meant by it. I was not particularly engaged to him, but the last time I saw him he said he thought I could make him happy. I do not believe that I did anything to cause him mental uneasiness. I only mean by what I have said that he told me he thought I could make him happy, and that if I knew anything was preying on his mind, I could have given him sympathy. We were perfectly friendly when we last parted. I never said anything to the effect that I expected to get from the Coroner some of the deceased's money — I had no reason for ever supposing such a thing.
The Foreman: I move that she writes something to see whether it is like that letter found in the deceased's pocket. I insist upon it.
A Juror : I second that.
The Witness: As a gentleman, you might take my word that I never wrote to him.
The Witness wrote a sentence, remarking that she was so nervous that it was not at all like her ordinary writing; and the Coroner said it proved nothing.
A Witness was called, who said that he sold the deceased a coat about half past nine or ten o'clock on Thursday evening. It was then raining freely. The deceased seemed perfectly rational and collected.
The Coroner briefly summed up, and the jury after consultation, returned a verdict of "Felo de Se." -Otago Witness, 5/3/1864.
The Daily Times of the 1st reports: — The jury empanelled to inquire into the cause of death of Robert William Eves, attorney's clerk, hanging to a fence in Royal-terrace, have returned a verdict of felo de se. Eve's case is a singular one, because, while there was not a word of evidence suggestive of the absence of right reason, there was an equal lack of anything which could be held to be suggestive as a cause of suicide. When John Brown committed suicide a short time since, in the neighborhood of York-place, Eves commented freely upon the strangeness of a man with plenty of money in his pockets destroying is own life; but he repeated the same worse than folly, for nearly £120 were found in his pockets. -Wellington Independent, 12/3/1864.
No person by the name of Eves is registered as being buried in a Dunedin cemetery.
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