A Don Sensation
An unpleasant sensation was caused yesterday afternoon when it became known that Mr. Thomas C. Greaves had met his death by shooting at his residence adjoining the Don State School. Mr. Greaves had been an invalid for years, and was suffering from heart infection. He was reclining on a couch as usual, and it seems that he sent his little boy for some cartridges, which were in a drawer, and afterwards sent him for a pea rifle, stating that he wished to clean it. Nothing more was known until Mrs. Greave’s return from school, when she found the pea rifle on the verandah, and her husband lying back, having evidently been shot through the head. Neither the girl, who worked in the house, nor anyone in the school, which was only 30 or 40 yards away, heard the report of the rifle. The deceased was 49 years of age, and was at one time in the Education Department, his last school being New Ground, and it was at Don that he was incapacitated, and his wife was the appointed to the charge of the school. An inquest will be held this afternoon, and the funeral will take place at the Don cemetery to-morrow afternoon.The Tragedy at Don
A Verdict of Suicide
A Coronial inquiry was conducted at the State school, Don, yesterday afternoon, into the circumstances attending the death of Thomas C. Greaves, a middle-aged resident, who died from the effects of a rifle wound the previous day. The inquiry was conducted by Mr. H. H. McFie, of Devonport, Coroner, while the police were represented by Sergeant H. Cleveland. Under the powers of the new Act the services of a jury were dispensed with. Evidence was given by the widow Mrs. Julia Greaves, her son, Eric Greaves, aged seven, Dr. Payne, and a lad named Cecil Boss, 11 years. The lad Eric deposed that his father asked him during the previous forenoon where his elder brother’s Winchester rifle was. He asked whether it was near the sail of his brother’s boat, for in that case it would be likely to rust. Witness assured him it was not near the sail, but his father persisted that it might want cleaning, and asked the lad to hand it to him. Witness inquired if his father had any oil to clean it with. The reply he got was no, but that he would rub it with his blanket (he was reclining on a couch). Witness then handed down the rifle. Cecil Boss deposed to deceased calling him at about one o’ clock, the previous day, when he gave him 2/- and an empty cartridge case, and desired that he should go to Montgomery’s store and purchase a box of Winchester rifle cartridges. The witness did as he was told, and brought the cartridges. Mrs. Julia Greaves deposed to hearing a report of a rifle about three o’ clock, and finding her husband seriously wounded. Dr. J. Payne deposed to visiting deceased in the afternoon and finding him unconscious and suffering from the effects of a bullet wound, from which he died soon after his arrival. The bullet had entered one of the eyes, around which there was a black mark, and then it had ploughed through the brain, and passed clean through the top of the head. He had previously attended deceased, who had been an invalid for some 10 or 12 years, and at times was very despondent on account of his condition. The Coroner found “That Thomas Cheshire Greaves came to his death at Don on November 10 by a gunshot wound by his own act.”Don
The funeral of the late Mr. T. C. Greaves took place on Saturday afternoon in the Congregational Cemetery. The deceased’s son was the chief mourner, and relatives from Devonport and Burnie were also present, with representatives from Moriarty and the educational service, in additional to local residents. The pallbearers were Messrs. A. Cutts, H. Hardy, W. Nothrop and W. Webb. The Revs. Stewart Byron and C. Stark officiated at the grave. The former fittingly expressed the general sympathy that is felt for the bereaved family.