THE TRAGEDY IN THE CITY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 6

THE TRAGEDY IN THE CITY.

INQUEST.HELD. : '. : MISS BERTHA ANTON'S STORY. An-, inquest was held yesterday afternoon,: before Mr.- W. ; G. Riddell, Coroner, touching 1 the death-of; 'William Anderson (reported yesterday), who' committed suicide, -by cutting ...das throat: in a backyard of the. premises of William Anton,, at 36 Cambridge Terrace, at a late hour "on -Thursday, evening.

Dr. Elliott deposed that he was called to 36, Cambridge TerTace at.. 0.25' ajn. yesterday, and found deceased lying .in the back- yard with life extinct. . Witness described the wound inflicted, and added that a razor was lying near. '■.': - -.■../ William Anton •'stated that deceased had boarded with him for five or sixmonths. He saw deceased alive on Thursday:,night at 8 o'clock, and asked witness if-he was alone.''; He went upstairs,for two minutes; and then came down and went. out again.;: .Witness', did not see Anderson alive, again. At about 11.20 p.m. he heard screams,' and came "runningdownstairs. On reaohing the'kitohen door his da.uphter; wa6 just coming" in. She'exclaimed:"l am done for." Her hat was off, her hair hanging down, and her nose broken. He, at once went for the police. Deceased appeared to .'be sober when seen-by 8. p.m.,. but he: was-a man onwhom it was diffl-i cult to detect signs of drink. During the time he had: known deceased, he had never-known him .to miss a day's, work through drink: Witness came back with, the police at, about 0.20 aim., -and 'searched the./ back-yard .'with candles,' eventually finding' deceased as stated; Bertha- Anton, who' presented a pitiful appearance, stated- that .she had been keeping company: with - deceased for/some time. He asked: her; if 6he. would "go with him," and'she had replied that she; "would not stick to him." On the night of the tragedy she went to-the opera and returned at 11.15 .p.m." As.she opened the, gate she' discerned deceased standing inside it. - He at once v caught hold of her-and'exclaimed:"Do not get excited!" -She could/smell drink, on him, but could not, say whether, he .was'drunk' or'/not: 'He asked her to go out- with him,, ; but she . refused..: With that-.he struck 'her. on the .face and -head withhis.'fists,' and/.as' she'..'was'-V falling-down,: he'kicked her. 'Witness Bcnamed : and ran; inside. . Deceased did: not say'any-' thihg.. while ,he was striking her,' and from t:he [ time.she ran: inside.she ■ did not see., him. 'again. did hot remember, meeting her- or father. v '. All she ,remembered/was' running upstairs. 1 Deceased said '. nothing about suicide, but he-- had previously;-stated that ■ if 'she' 'would/not have'.him he would• do away with her, and himself {also.- In reply to -this she said: "Tali:sense." •.'•'.

.'■ Sergeant:;, Stuart,; stationed at .Mount' ■Cook,. gave: evidence ■ as'• to receiving. !-a' call from- William Anton, and in company ,with .Constable; Johns visited the premises. :; /On \ arrival. 'there ■: Miss' Anton,/asked ; the.. police ,to .go -into ; the^back 7 £ard, .'.where''! they ''would .find a 'man lying drunk;' : Witness - then described, what .was, found. : /Df."Elliott!-was sent''for. 'and 'the""'body' removed-.to'.the', morgue.- . '.■:.''■ ■■!" •?.' Leonard .Anderson, a ■■-.brother.''of ceasediv'employed as; a.'steward', on'the* steamer Komata,. gave ' evidence , to..:the!' effect that deceased was 32 years of ;age,' was' employed -as-:ah assistant store-! man-at- Sargood, -;Son, 4 and' Ewen's, 'and ;that his parents resided' jOtago. : Witness: .had. not seen his bro-' ther since January 20. . . • ....: - : ■ The, Coroner, gave, a verdict to ''■the .-effect, that.deceased died "at-Wellington, on February 8, from, haemorrhage'. due to a; wound in the throat self-inflicted.- v