DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 863, 8 July 1910, Page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

AT AUCKLAND ASYLUM,

DEATH OF A VISITOR AND A PATIENT.

A DEADLY POISON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, July 7. The Auckland Mental Asylum at Avondalo was this afttruoun the scene of a shocking double tragedy, which resulted in tho death of a male visitor. and a female inmate. Shortly after two o'clock a man giving tho namo of Herbert Jones called to see an inmato named Mrs. Ellen M. Webster. He apparently was in a quite normal condition, and was allowed to sea Mrs. Webster in a corridor, and the two wore left conversing. About 3.30 p.m. the acting-matron, Violet Campbell, heard a noiso as if someone hail fallen, and rushed into the corridor to find Mrs. Webster stretched on the floor, and Jones kneeling across her body.

Dr. A. N. M'Kelvey, assistant resident medical attendant, who wan in a room off the corridor, was called in, and, taking in the situation at a glance, at once administered a stomach pump, first 011 the woman, and afterwards on the man, but both expired within three or four minutes.

Close beside where tho two bodies wero lying there was a black brief bag, oil the top of which were found a small bottle containing somo crudc prussic acid, and a doj. bottle which was empty, but had apparently contained a solution, and a. small wine glass with a broken stem, which had doubtless been used to administer the deadly poison.

On Jones being searched he was found to have in his possession a small rim-fire revolver, fully loaded in six chambers, and a box of cartridges, also a razor and only a few pence in money. Jones is described as .an ex-Imperial Army officer, who held a commission as captain during the South African war. He is a married man; about -50 years of age. of rather aristocratic appearance, and c.'ell dressed. His rather scanty fair hair has turned grey, and he wore a short grey moustache. .Tones is understood to be a resident of Little Omaha, about 35 miles north of Auckland, where his wife resides, and hns been talcing charge of three of Mrs. Webster's young children. Mrs. Webster, who is the wife of Mr. Geo. Webster, also of Little Omaha, was 31 years ,of age. She was admitted to the Mental Asylum from Auckland on October 30 of last year.

There were no marks of violence on either of the deceased, and 110 motive has been assigned for the tragedy; but letters were found 011 Jones which indicated that he contemplated suicide.

Both bodies were removed to the asylum morgue, and a post-mortem examination ordered. An inquest will be held on Saturday morning.,

Br. R. M. Beattie, Medical Superintendent o£ the Mental Hospital, when seen by a "Herald" representative to-night, stated that he had known Captain Jones for some time. Jones had visited tho hospital 011 several occasions, and had always taken a sympathetic interest in Mrs. Webster, and pestered tho doctor to rolea.se her. Mrs. Webster was an orderly, well-behaved patient, but quite insane, and she could not lie released. Today Dr. Beattie. who had been lecturing from 2 to !i o'clock at. the hospital, passed .Tones and Sirs. Webster in tho corridor about 3.15, and they were then conversing quite rationally." Dr. Beattie left the hospital shortly after for town, and was recalled by telephone.