SAD EVENT AT LOVER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1050, 13 February 1911, Page 4

SAD EVENT AT LOVER HUTT

DEATH OF. '■''' ■ ■ ' ' ' '"•''^'• r i>- , ' "''*/'• fi ' BODY FOUND IN- THE RIVER; j : ■ -' '•' ■•'!'-' ■)■--.'' A most painful sensation was caused at the Hutt on Saturday morning, when it was known that Mrs. Piirdy,; wife-, of "-. Dr.Purdy, President of the, New'Zealind" Medical .Association, and Director-Cierieral,,. J of. Medical Forces, had disappeared dur- *■ ing Friday night, and that her body had been fouiid in the, Butt River.'Dr. Purdy retired at midnight, arid-Mrs. Purdy was ' in bed at the time. On : Saturday inorn- : ing, however, her "place was: vacant, and a. search was at once ''l'h'a -.-.- body, attired in a nightgown land covering , f wrapper, was iound lying face, downwards . in lour inches-of water, near the stop bank at the rear of Dr. PUrdy's residence, ,1 Main Road. Mrs. Purdy had only recently returned from Sydney.■-. She ■ had, of late, been suffering from insomnia,, but on Friday last appeared-to-be-quite cheerful. Deceased .was a resident., 0f... the Hutt for twenty years; and'was loved' - and respected by a large circle of friends. , She was born 48-years ago in. the Bermudas, and spent her early childhood in. \ Scotland. She leaves four children.'^■■' '■;' ■'■:■' ' , THE .INQUEST,'^;;:"f:%.:.".-; ' "TEMTORARILT OF UNSOUND ;iv- ■. ■ . MIND-." r .;■■".•• ."--i

, An injiuest,. touching -the death by" drowning of Mary Beatrice Purdy (wite of Dr. Purdy, ot Lowcr3utt), ; 'on- Saturday morning, was held "at the'letter's : residence, before Dr. M'ArtHur, Coroner, at 3 p.m. on '.Saturday'. •v-'O'. \i ■;'.. : Evidence was given ,oy Dr. Purdy,' who stated that deceased'hail complained'of feeling unwell since her Teturn from Aus-'• ; : tralia. on AVednesday. night. Hβ-attri-buted her arisiety -to, .the fact -that oil returning'she found her "yoilrigest'daugh-. • ter suffering from whoaping-cough, arid; ■ in fact, contracted ran! incipient attack- - herself, as a-resultof her constant atten.tion to the invalid.. .Shortly: before;midnight 'on Friddjy" his eldest: daughter ; came to; his room and-asked him to see ■• her little sister,V;whbm;he found t6 be - jn a very bad state, arid, sending deceased '. to bed, he watched by-,his .child. Der'.; - ceased was. very' anxious to stay: up,' but ■'■': witness; advised-:her,.to.takeL-EOine rest, : as sho had;complained.of;feeling unwell' herself. About one o'clock;'witness dozed ~ off to sleepj.and on: waking, about 5.30 ':•■ next morning, missed deceased, and ui»n searching the house found the following note.on the hall tabled- ; ';; J ; '■.

"You will find my body in the river .at the back. God help you.—Mother." Calling his eldest son Robe/t,they pro-' eeeded to.the.river,.and found deceased .' lying face downwards in;about four'incbes of water, some "few.; yards vbelew-where, '■'-'- ontheTbank,- they had founder dressing-:!;: gownand slippers;, the: body' having .apr .-, parently. floated down that;distance,.. The,water opposite the spot. where deceased's • " clothes were found wbnid'bhly "be' about twenty "inches deep.-Except'.for a slight vindisposition,- deceased", was fairly < cheerful ever: since.- returning -from. Australia, . and witness knew of-nothing to. worry 'her save the.-child's illness. ; Deceased had apparently' heen in the~water some. ; two fours' when found.:..; v. •■:•:■-■". Robert Vu'rdy, son .of deceased,- gave ..--.- corroborative evidence, and said that his mother on Friday .evening appeared very, bright: and: cheerful. .V . - : ■■'■ n ! _ ■:. Dr. Hector, who examined the body at the request' of Constable M*Kenzie, said;; there -we're", no 'signs rof rdeceased:'having: v.met with any other mishap than drown,-. :: ing.; -'•-.•.■ i- : ''i-.-v .:.V; ",r ~;:''--.'.■■.: ■■'..' The Coroner'therefore returned "ai 'verdict that h "deceased.: met -.her death b>. , drowning, and whilst* temporarily, of liin-i ''% sound-mind." -;.:■: / t v. >.!>..•.:- ■■'>}?:'. - vThe funeral, which was; private,. took place yesterday. ~'..., ;'i : . -. '~■: ■".- -