1

2517
Police Department
Inspector's Office
Normanton 20th October 1911,

Suicide of 1st class Constable Edward
Patrick Smith of Turn-off-Lagoons on
the 13th September 1911.
I have the honor to forward herewith
copy of the depositions taken at an inquiry
into the cause of death of 1st. class Constable
Edward Patrick Smith, who committed
Suicide by hanging himself in the
Police Station Paddock at Turn-off-lagoons
on the 13th September 1911.
From the evidence adduced at
the Magisterial inquiry held before
Francis Hugh Myddleton Esq. J.P.
at Burketown on the 22nd September
last I am of the opinion the deceased
committed the rash act while in a
State of temporary insanity.
It can I think be concluded
from the following extracts of the
evidence given at the inquiry by the
deceased wife Mrs. Smith that whatever
was in the correspondence he received
on the 7th September seemed to upset
his mind.
The extracts are in the following
terms: --
A " Mr Smith received the
Commissioners letter on the
7th instant, after reading his
mail

Commissioner of Police
Brisbane.
----------------------------------------

INSPECTOR OF POLICE
10 NOV 1911
No.....685....
TOWNSVILLE.

-------------------------------------------

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
25001 2-NOV. 1911
[2 or 3 words illeg]

Commis. of Police
From Insp Quilters report of
4/9/11 and the evidence taken
at the Inquiry into the
death of Const Smith it
appears to me that Inspc
Sweetman's report of 9/7/11 as
to Const Smiths ownership
of dealings in cattle was
made upon insufficient
or inaccurate information
and seeing that the same
witnesses who gave evidence
at the Inquiry were accessible
to the Inspr I am afraid as
much[?] was not done in the
way of [notification?] as might
have been --
I recommend that the papers
be referred to the Inspr
FC Urquhart
3/11/11 Chief Insp.

B/C
Approved. Return papers for
further report.
[initials]
14/11/11
11/30116 Insp Sweetmans report
dated 19.1911 referred to Inspr Brett 18/18/11