[Editor: This untitled article, about a death by suicide, was published in The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), 23 January 1897.]
[At a very early hour]
At a very early hour on Monday morning a labourer named Denis Fitzgibbon, 41, who resided with his wife and family at 14 Howard-street, was seen by a tramway points-man named Alfred Lang going in the direction of University Park.
Later still Fitzgibbon was seen to sink in a pond in the park to which he had evidently made his way. The police were communicated with, and Constable Arnold of No. 2 station succeeded in recovering the body.
The City Coroner (Mr. J. C. Woore, J.P.), instituted an inquiry into the cause of death at the South Sydney Morgue in the afternoon. The widow of the deceased stated that about five months ago her husband had met with an accident which necessitated the amputation of one of his feet. Since that time he had been unable to get work, and had been despondent in consequence. Constable Arnold stated that the crutches used by the de- ceased had been found on the bridge which spanned the water from which the body had been recovered. Dr. Taylor, Government Pathologist, deposed that death resulted from asphyxia by drowning.
A finding of suicide was recorded.
Source:
The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (Sydney, NSW), 23 January 1897, p. 174, column 2
Editor’s notes:
J.P. = (abbreviation) Justice of the Peace
[Editor: The original text has been separated into paragraphs.]
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