Bunbury Herald (WA : 1892 - 1919), Thursday 13 March 1902, page 2


THE LATE MR C. Y. O'CONNOR, C.M.C.

— ^ — WORRIED TO DEATH. A TOUCHING LETTER.

The funeral of the late Chief Engineer took place at Perth on Wednesday after-noon, and was attended by fully one thousand persons. Wreaths were sent by all classes of the community, and were of the most beautiful character. The Ministry and all branches of the public service were represented. Arch-

deacon Watkins officiated at the grave, the ceremony being a short but impres-sive one. THE MOTIVE OF DEATH. The motive which actuated the late Mr C. Y. O'Connor, engineer- in-chief, in ending his life so tragically is pathetic-ally explained (says a metropolitan contemporary) by a letter written by the deceased before he left his home on Monday morning, and found amongst a number of papers on a desk in his study yesterday, The letter was written in pencil, and was not signed, but there is no doubt that it is in the handwriting of the deceased gentleman. Right through the memorandum there is strong evi-dence that Mr O'Connor's mind had become over wrought by the worry and adverse criticism that he had lately been subjected to as the responsible and con-trolling head of the great Coolgardie water scheme. He felt that his brain was suffering under the strain, and he did not know what effect it would have upon him.

The following is an exact copy of the memorandum left by the deceased : — ' The position has become impossible. Anxious important work to do, and three comissions of inquiry to attend to. We may not have done as well as possible in the past, and we will necessarily be too hampered to do well in the immediate future. I feel that my brain is suffering and I am in great fear of what effect all this worry may have upon me. I have Iost control of my thoughts. The Coolgardie scheme is all right, and I could finish it if I got the chance and protection from misrepresen-tation ; but there is no hope for that now, and it is better that it should be given to some entirely new man to do, who will be untrammelled by prior re-sponsibilities. 10-3-02. Put the wing wall to Helena weir at once.'

The wing wall to which Mr O Connor referred in his memorandum is a work which it is intended to construct below the weir, and between it and the eastern bank of the Helena River. The decision to construct this wing wall had been arrived at only very recently.