Alexander Stewart, (1830-27/12/1909). "a good deal of tough life"

SUICIDE AT ANDERSON BAY

At a quarter to one o'clock yesterday afternoon the body of Alexander Stewart, of Waverley, Anderson Bay, was found in the plantation surrounding his residence, with a gunshot wound in the left breast. 

Mr Stewart, who was seventy-nine years of age, arrived in Dunedin in 1862, and was engaged as a lithographer at Fergusson and Mitchell's. Latterly he retired into private life. 

An inquest was held at the house this morning before Mr C. C. Graham (coroner). 

Elizabeth Stewart, wife of deceased, gave evidence as to missing her husband during the morning, and having heard a shot. She thought that some boys were near by playing with firearms. On noticing that a shotgun which was kept in the house had been taken from the rack she proceeded to search for her husband, and discovered him lying on his back in the grounds round the house. Thinking he had fainted, she called to a neighbor, Mr Elliot, to come to her assistance. 

Alexander Elliot gave evidence as to finding Stewart lying with a gunshot wound in his left breast, quite dead, and a double-barrelled shotgun (with one discharged cartridge) supported in the fork of a tree, with one of the prongs of the fork pressing against the trigger, so that by pulling the gun forward it would go off. 

Dr Gordon Macdonald examined the body this morning, and stated that the appearance of the wound verified the theory that the muzzle of the gun was close up to the chest when discharged, and that the shot had entered the base of the heart, so that death would be instantaneous. He also stated that deceased was subject to periodical attacks of a complaint which at times would cause intense pain. 

The Coroner, after hearing the evidence, returned a verdict to the effect that death resulted from a self-inflicted wound, but there was no evidence to show what state of mind deceased was in at the time.  -Evening Star, 27/12/1909.

Mr. Alexander Stewart, father of Captain E. Stewart, late of the Takapuna, died on Sunday in Dunedin, in his seventy-ninth year. Born in Glasgow, the deceased gentleman saw a good deal of tough life in the early days of Australia. He took part in the gold rush at Bendigo, and then settled in New Zealand. He had resided at Dunedin for many years.  -Auckland Star, 28/12/1909.

Alexander Stewart lies in Dunedin's Northern Cemetery.