FOUND SHOT.
SPION KOP HERO.
....Captain Herbert William Duckworth was found shot in a private hotel in Craven street, Strand (London), on June 1. A coroner's jury on June 3, says "Lloyd's Weekly," found a verdict of "Suicide of unsound mind," but the friends of the dead officer—all well known in society—are unable to throw any light on the strange affair, and can only suggest that it was a case of malaria madness, following service in other lands.
....Captain Duckworth was an officer of the 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, lately doing special duty with the 3rd Battalion, which is now stationed at Pontefract. This is a special reserve battalion, and was formerly the 3rd West York Militia.
....He entered the Army in 1897. He became a lieutenant in 1899, and obtained his company In 1902. When the South African war broke out he went out with his regiment, and took part in the arduous work that was undertaken for the relief of the beleaguered garrison of Ladysmith. Captain Duckworth was present through the long day's fighting on Spion Kop, and there he was shot through the thigh. He had the war medal with five clasps.
....Since the war he had settled down with the York and Lancasters at Pontefract, where he was known as a quiet and studious young officer. He was unmarried. The previous Tuesday he went away on leave, and came up to London, where he took up his quarters in a private hotel in Craven street. Strand. His presence there was entirely unknown to his friends in London.
....He was not known personally to the lady who keeps the hotel, but he came with excellent references. He was very quiet in his demeanor, and there was nothing in his conduct, nor in his comings and goings, that attracted the slightest attention.
....Captain Duckworth remained In his room all day on Sunday, and his meals were taken up to him by the chambermaid.
DIED IN HOSPITAL.
....On Monday morning, June 1, however, he came down to breakfast,, and seemed to be in excellent health and spirits. After breakfast he went upstairs into his bedroom. Then, when he had been there for a few minutes, the report of a shot was heard. The attendants rushed in, and found the officer lying on the bed, with a small revolver by his side, and a bullet wound through the right temple.
....He was still breathing, and the police were called in. They immediately brought an ambulance, and removed him to Charing Cross Hospital. This was about 11.30. Captain Duckworth lingered on in an unconscious state until 3.30, when he died.
....There was no scrap of writing or anything to give any indication of a reason for taking his own life. The revolver was not of the Anmy pattern, and was at least 20 years old.
....His visiting cards and letters, etc., revealed his identity, and the headquarters of his regiment were communicated with. The police also sent for Captain Duckworth's London friends. These were his uncles, Canon Duckworth, Chaplain in Ordinary to the King, and Sir Dyce Duckworth, the celebrated physician, who at once visited Charing Cross Hospital.
....The sad office of identifying the body was performed by Canon Duckworth, who stated that his nephew's health since his return from India a year ago had been uncertain, as he had suffered from the effects of malarial fever, and lately he had suffered from insomnia and fits of depression.
....Miss Rose Bowyer, the hotel piroprietress,said that when Captain Duckworth remained in bed on Sunday she asked him If she should send for a doctor, but he said no, adding that he had had malarial fever, and would soon be quite well. On coming downstairs on Monday, he said he felt much better. That was the last she saw of him.
....An emphatic denial was given to suggestions that deceased had any money troubles or had lost heavily at Epsom races. Miss Bowyer said she did not believe he had been to Epsom at all.
....Captain Duckworth was the son of the late Mr William Duckworth, of Colchester, and was about 30 years of age. Mr Duckworth was a country gentleman, who lived on his Essex estate. His brothers. Sir Dyce Duckworth and Canon Duckworth, have each filled a much larger place in the public eye. Dr. Robinson Duckworth was Chaplain in Ordinary 'to the late Queen Victoria from 1870 to her death, and since then he has been Chaplain in Ordinary to the King. He has always been a favorite preacher in Court circles, and was very highly esteemed by the late Queen. Sir Dyce Duckworth is Consulting Physician to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and was Honorary Physician to the King when he was Prince of Wales. He holds medical degrees Innumerable, and is treasurer to the Royal College of Physicians.
The Great Southern Leader [Pingelly, Western Australia], Friday 5th November 1909
