DEATH BY HANGING.
George Ward, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age, supposed to belong to the Oamaru district, was found dead this morning, suspended by a rope made fast to a beam in a stable at the rear of Mr Reany’s Globe Hotel, Princes street south. Deceased had been boarding in the house for about four weeks past, and late on Saturday evening went out apparently for a walk. Since then he was not seen by anyone about the hotel until 9.15 this morning, when Archibald McArthur, who has been staying at the Globe for a day or two past, went into the stable for something, and found Ward hanging by the neck. McArthur at once called the landlord, who cut the body down and sent for the police. Dr W. Brown was also summoned, but an examination revealed the fact that the man had been dead for some time, the corpse being stiff and cold. No money was found on Ward’s person, but there were portions of a letter from his brother, who resides at Brookfield, Oamaru, from which it is gathered that deceased recently received some money from his brother; and this, taken in conjunction with the absence of money on his person, would show that deceased had been hard up. Ward told a person who spoke to him on Saturday afternoon that he had come from the Taieri, where he had been working on a farm. Ward was at that time perfectly sober, and had the appearance of a happy and temperate man. He was certainly not a drunkard. The motive that led to the perpetration of the fatal act may, perhaps, be disclosed at the inquest, which is appointed to be held to-morrow, at 11.30 a.m. The delay is caused by the desire to have his brother at the inquest. Meanwhile it would serve no good purpose to even guess at the cause or causes that prompted the hanging. -Evening Star, 7/1/1889.
SUICIDE IN A STABLE.
An inquest was held this morning at the Globe Hotel, before Mr Coroner Carew and a Jury of six, of whom D. Henry was chosen foreman, touching the death of George Ward.
Dr William Brown stated that when called to the hotel yesterday morning he saw the body in the stable. It was quite dead. Death must have occurred some hours previously. It was quite possible that deceased might have been in the stable all night. There was the mark of a rope round his neck. Witness saw the rope produced and also the piece of rope attached to the beam. The mark on the neck indicated that the rope had been put on during life. There was no external indication that death arose from any other cause than hanging.
Thomas Ward, laborer, residing at Brookfields, Oamaru, identified the body as that of his brother, who was born in Shropshire, was twenty-four years of age, and had been in New Zealand nearly two years. Deceased was a laborer and a single man. Witness last saw him alive on the 7th of last March. Letters received from deceased stated that be was doing well in his situation up to the middle of November; but a letter written in December mentioned that he had left his situation and gone to Dunedin, adding that he had met with a misfortune and lost his money, and asking his brother to lend him some money that would keep him until he got into a situation. Witness sent L5, the amount asked for. Eleven or twelve days ago deceased wrote again, stating that he was not well enough to go to a situation, and asked for a similar sum to that sent previously. Witness sent him L4, but got no reply to the letter enclosing it. Deceased was not in any difficulties excepting in regard to the money, so far as witness knew. Witness had never heard of his brother being wrong in his mind, and could form no idea as to his reason for making away with himself. In one of his letters deceased said that he bad lost his money by getting into bad company.
Archibald McArthur, miner, had been residing at the hotel for eight days, and had known Ward during that time. On Saturday night he was in the best spirits. Witness had never seen him the worse of liquor, and did not suspect that he was ill. On Monday morning witness found deceased hanging in the stable, fully dressed, his feet being four or five inches from the ground. Nothing that Ward ever said to witness gave the least clue to his reason for making away with himself. The body was cold and stiff when cut down.
Joseph Reany, landlord of the Globe, said that Ward had been living at the hotel for about a month. He was a very steady man, strong-minded, and jolly, and the last person in the world witness would have thought of as likely to commit suicide.
Harriet Palmer, residing in the hotel as cook until Saturday, last saw deceased alive at 4.5 p.m. on Sunday, at the Dunedin Railway Station. He said he was going to Oamaru to his brother, and if he did not go on the Monday witness was to see him in town. Deceased had threatened to do away with himself. He said so to witness on Saturday, adding that he was tired of his life. He had no money — he had spent it all — and seemed low-spirited, but promised witness that he would not do anything to himself. When Ward said that he would do away with himself witness did not at first think he meant what he said, but he repeated the statement two or three times, and then she began to be frightened that he would do something, though she said nothing to anybody about the matter. He gave witness the letters produced to mind for him. On Saturday night witness and deceased went for a walk out to the Ocean Beach, and he there threatened to make away with himself. He wanted to go into the water, but witness would not let him. She did not leave him that night — they were walking about the whole time — and she kept by him until five minutes past four on Sunday afternoon, when she left for Sawyers Bay. Ward was apparently quite right in his mind. They parted on friendly terms.
Patrick Dwyer, landlord of the Southern Hotel, said that Ward went into that house about five o’clock on Sunday afternoon to ask witness if they had not met at Oamaru. He remained in the hotel chatting for nearly an hour, and seemed quite sane. He did not ask to be served with drink, and did not look as though he had been drinking.
Constable Green had spoken to deceased on Saturday afternoon, when he seemed to be comfortable and happy. Among the articles found in his possession was a pawn ticket notifying that he had pledged his swag on the 5th inst.
The jury returned a verdict that deceased killed himself by hanging, but that there was no evidence to show the state of his mind at the time he committed the act. -Evening Star, 8/1/1889.
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