ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1590, 6 November 1912, Page 9

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES.

• JANE V ALNEN'S' DEATH. 'THE EVIDENCE-AT THE INQUEST. VERY STRANGE CASE. ; ; Tho district; coroner, Dr. M'Arlhur, S.M., held an inquest at the. Court-house- . 'yesterday.evening touching; the;death of . .Jane Hay .Allen,, who was found dead in ..-' her bed at No.' 61 Tinakori Road, at 11 o'clock on- Sunday morning last; ■ Chief petectivo-' Broberp! conducted proceedings -Oh behalf of tho police. . • ; Dr." Pattie stated' iu evideiico .that, .on arrival shortly after noon on S.uiutay, he ■ found tho woman dead. He described her 'appearance, and added that he- did: not Examine: the body for marks ot".violence. • He'found none on the head or neck. . In reply to Chief Detective Broberg, witness said that when ho' was telephoned for on Sunday at 11 o'clock, he was not informed that the woman was.dead. He considered .that death inust have occurred at least 21 hours previously. • - . • The, chief'witness, was Charles Borclr,' : .who. had bceu living.' with deceased .for '. about three''years and up .till'.,the.-.time ,of • her death. ; The witness..was exammeu .by the Chief Detective. ■ ,j. , . ■ MWas'deceased addicted to drink? . xes, «lie; draiik,' spirits..'-Witness . thw explained .that he telephoned , for Dr. -?aTO» at.aboutil o'clock on Sunday ..morning, as ■ h6,thought' that . : deceas3d-, was very ;. but as far as he could- discern; ?ho. ivas. ' U . went .;on. ;to. say that lie Y catae' home at .about, 6 o.rfoeMn. T:r evenin" and spoke to. the deceased, wlio . *vaj m/the kitchen'.'.- H. then went put and-returned at- 10.S0 p.m. "With : : somo liquor He. found deceased lying, fully • • dressed, on the bed,>ndwtness woke her up and gave her'some, brandj.. lhe last occasion . oh-.which, ho spoke to her ' when', he'iras going to slean an hour later. " ,oh ,the. following morning ".- witness . in'the''same -position. . He :: got up_ anil /out.; to ' the ' Princess -. ;Ho tol, where ho . had several -drinks. - H c did •' not . return; home until midaight on Saturday, and - he : was " Whei he went toibed'deceased was in the ' .ho;M;.noteed, her in on : .' Saturfffy ■ hiorning.: ',iHe ; awoke at '■O'clock on Sunday 'mornnig, . and saw. deceased still lying as. before. He imagin-' tempted; to. 'pvo her some -brandy, but ;.slie did .not taltei it. Witness theh!raiig;up Dr.-Pattie.,. Could you . say whether . deceased : lelt : the u bed any; timo: between 11.30 .'p ; m.':on Friday, to.'lo.36. a.m. on Sunday ?—:. -No, 1 could not." .•' ' . ' " '- ■' ' I'ro yoii certain that; deceased was alive - .on'Friday%ight:at 11.30 o'clock?-"Yes.. " ■ Could yoft swear that ! deceased was: alive any time between 11.30 p.m.;on l'riday ' alid-10.30 7 a'.ni'.' on -Sunday °-.' . On an average, how much, brandy aid decease' take a 'day?r-"Abput two shil-. lings' worth." ;.. . , ', , , 5 ; '• -Have. you-.ever struck the ..deceasedr— "No, never." .: Did'/deceased , sjreakvto you when : "went 'tt 'bM 'on Saturday night '"No.'. Tho cvideiice of Jlay J. 31: Bramley, ; :Wtio : l{yed; iiext '.door,: was to the .effect .<•( thit she 'sa.ff 'tle'ceascd between 5 and 5.15, V) p.m; on' Friday;.' walking-.'about the'back, ■ yard/' She' did'not' see :deceased ' again . until ;ll'/o'clock on! Sunday, when _ she .-went in-, with Dr! Paitie. was then'dressed in t)ie samp: clothes .as slie .' .had.^/on;when witness-last- saw.,her. : .De/ceased, 'had./complained . to 'witness.' that. . ' sho :ha'd.; a'. pain ill ;her side. Witness never : heard anj'thing '.' to suggest . that • : Borck. ill-treated deceased..V. ' ' ■/; ' John. Bramley, husband/;of previous / witness,/gave similar evidence.-'; Constable W. D. .Thompson- deposed that .. he called'-at: No; 61. Tin'akori' Road' at 12:45'. p.m. ! on Sunday, and saw deceased lying'oil'the bed. . She was then dead, and • witness had the body, removed to the : morgue;. .The . room (which' in. size , was ■about Sft.-.' by 10ft.) was in a, shocking :• condition,. and ( ;cver};thing. f in; it,' includ-: ■: ! ' iug. 'the.. blanKets,; was filthy,■ /Mary. Violet' Stahden,; married'daughter ' of - deceased,-,said. that her .mother was, a ' widow;. .'Witness.:had.no't'.s«en hev, mother , for addict--od to drink, v ..:. /'. ■ ■

At. 9 p.m. . the inquest was adjourned until '9.30 :a.m., on Monday next, .jrnen the .evidence.of Dr. ryffc'wiir ijo .taken!.