MYSTERY STILL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1670, 10 February 1913, Page 5

MYSTERY STILL.

THE BURIAL OF MRS. HOULT.

CORONER AND DOCTORS.

AN EXTRAORDINARY INQUEST.

The inquiry concorningv the death of Jossio Edith' Hoult, alius 'Richards, was proceeded with on Saturday, and lifter between two and thrco hours' investigation tho puzzle respecting tho burial of the woman remained unsolved.

Tho inquiry was to hnvo been commenced on Friday afternoon, but when tho coroner (Dr. M'Arthur, S.M.) went to tho hospital morgue ho discovered that tho body was not there. It transpired that tho body had been buried, and tho coroner remarked that someone had boon in a hurry to get'tho remains out of tho way. When tho inquest was opened on Saturday Dr, Woodhouse (ono of tho public hospital's medical staff) was called as a wituess. Ho said in - ovideuco that the deceased was admitted to tho hospital on January 31, and that 6ho said that three weeks prior to her admission sho had had a miscarriage. Sho stated, also, that she had used lysol as a disinfectant. . Sho was suffering from burns which could havo been caused by lysol. There were some bruises on her back. She died on Wednesday night, and he reported the fact to tho police on Thursday. "I told tlio police," ho said, "that I knew the cause of death, and that it was a. matter for the coroner." Tho Coroner: Did you tell tho police that you would give a certificate? "A Matter for the Coroner."' Dr. Woodhouse: No; I said it was a matter for the Coroner. Tho Coroner: Tho constable hero camo in and told mo that you said you would. Dr. Woodhouse: I did not sign a certificate. ''■'•' Tho Coroner: You say you would not give a certificate. . . Dr. Woodhouse: I thought,the Coroner should be informed. Tho Coroner: There was not a word that you were going to give a certificate. I would not: havo taken it, anyhow, if you did. -.-';-. Dr. Woodhouse: I said that I could not givo a ccrtificato until the Coroner decided that ho did not want an inquest. Tho Coroner:' That was when?

Dr. Woodhouse: .Thursday. Tho Coroner:' How did tno -undertaker como along and get authority.from you to bury tho body? ' , Dr. Woodhouse: Because I had given authority to Dr. Fraser to sign a certificato. On .Thursday afternoon it tfos reported to mo from the police that there wos not going to bo an inquest. ' .■ Tho Coroner: Now. look here! Is it a fact that you gave tno authority to bury tho body? Dr. Woodhouse: Not at all. I only—

Tho Coroner: You had some idea that I had given intimation that your certificato would bo sufficient. . . . Well, I. don't know.l.l don't want to ask you' any more.- There is a misunderstanding.

Dr. Woodhouse! Yes; there is .i misunderstanding. I was given to understand that there would be no inquest so I gave Dr. Fraser authority to stytn a certificate. Wo can't refus.B to sjgri a certificate. .''■'■;. . Y

Tho Coroner: If you aro in.doubt,- why don't you ring mo up. Now, just going a bit too for. You can refuse as . long as you like. , You could sayi "I havo sent my papers to tho coroner;" You could ring me iip. You know where to ring -me up. Too many where to ring nlo up. . : .- ' 7 .'■■ - - Senior-Sorgeant Rutledge, who represented the'police, remarked that the only, information tho Mount Cook police had was to the.effect that an inquest would bo held.-; : . <V : »<> :""V '!-".".' i The Coroner: And yet r tke body gets away. I told them J would take tho inquest. , '■'.... vDr. Woodhouse:. "You seem to rather blame mo for. something and quite understand who.t it-is.' /■" "'•

Tho Coroner;'Oh; you don't. Well, I will (ell you exactly. You gavo authority to bury a'body which you had reported to the Coroner, and you had got ,no authority back to bury.that body. Dr. Woodliouse: Yes; wc got a message back from; the' police, and I thought it was tho authority. The message came back that there was Id bo no inquest.

■ The Coroner; Before I was oven acquainted of. the death by notice there were two, or it may havo been three, mentions in tho prcs9 that no inquest .was necessary.' .-■■; .'Call the constable. We may. as/well clear this up. , If I am wrong I will admit it.

V, "A Very Full Day.", •Constable Whitehouso. was. then' called. Ho deposed: I handed in to the Coroner, shortly after 4 o'clock on Thursday, ; February 6, tho report, and told him at the same hmo that the doctors were prepared to give a certificate aB to tho ; cause of death. The Coroner told mo that' he would view the body at 9.30 the following morning, and would' then decide about holding an inquest. I then re-' ported the matter to the 6ub-inspecfcor. Tho Coroner: .I: know exactly that that is what happened. Dr. Woodhouso: Who sent tho message to the bospjtal? Constable Whitehouso: I didn't*

• The Coroner:' Yesterday (Friday) was a very full day. Wo were pretty full, and I told i the sub-inspector that I would go up in the afternoon, so no word could have leaked out-that there was not to bo an inquest. It was now' after 1 o'clock, and Sergeant Rutledge asked for a week's ad]ournment for the purpose of making certain investigations. The Coroner, howover, decided to'proceed again later in the afternoon and hear further .evidence.

When the inquiry was Tosumed Phoebe Steward, of U Sydney Street, was called. Sho said that ehe was deceased's stepsister, but had not 6eon her for ten years, and until a month ago did not know that sho was in Wellington. The Coroner: Who arranged her funoral? ' ■. ~: Witness: I did. I wont to the undertaker. ' Tho Coroner: And whioh undertaker? Witness: Mr. Wilson. The Coroner: Did you get this certificate to bury? Witness i No. The Coroner: You left that to tho undertaker, I suppose. Witness: Yes.

The Coroner: Did you urge that it Bhould be dono suddenly or quickly? ■ Witness: No. I left it to tho -undertaker. : . , d The Coroner:. Haven't you told Dr. Woodhouso that you wore matron of a home somewhere else nnd urged this upon him-to got it done quickly? Dr. Woodhouso (from the middle of the Court-room): No wo did not discuss that at all, •-.'•'

More About the Certificate. Dr. Fraser, junior house-surgeon at tha publio hospital, then gave evidence. Tho Coroner (to witness' Eraser): I believe you gave the certificate. Dr, Eraser: Yea. "'. ■ ; ' Tho Coroner: What did you, give the certificate for? Dr. Fraser: I wrote it out, and Tho Coroner: Yes, yes, I know all about writing it out, and all that. What did you; givo it for? Was it to take her to Heaven, or soino other place, or what? Dr. Eraser: I gavo a certificate of death. Tho Coroner: Of the cause of death, you mean? I don't want to trap you. Dr. Fraser: Yes. ' The Coroner: Did you consider' that that would allow her to bo buried? Dr. Fraser: In ordinary circumstances, yes. The Coroner: That is quito clear, too. So it would in ordinary circumstances. The Coroner: Do you think that becauso a man dies in tho hospital after' a crack on the head you can givo n certificate of concussion of the brain? Dr. Fraser: No. The cases aro not parallel. Tho Coroner: I expected you to Bay something of that kind. Dr. Fraser: That is tho point. I faw tho policeman at the hospital in tho afternoon— Tho Oorbner: And you and the policomnn settled it, I suppose! Dr. Fraser: No! No! T'he Coroner: Well, what was it? Tell us? Dr, t'rnjor i I understood from the conversation, with him that ho had brought ,

a report that an inquest was not 'neebssary.

Tho Coroner: Well, do you know.,that I hnvo to write on tho back of, this r'ejort that no inquest is necessary P ''" Dr. Fraser: Well. I thought his.report was sufficient.

Tho Coroner: Did you got his report? , Dr. Fraser: A verbal report. \ Tho Coroner: That is no report at all. You young fellows have a good-ideal tolearn down hero.

"My Reputation it nt Stake," Dr. Woodhouso hero remarked that it wa9 not Constable Whitohouse who went to tho hospital and delivered a report on behalf of the police. ' ' The Coroner: Well, that just shows how uncertain it all was. Wo don't oven know who the policeman, was. That is one thing wo want to find out. However, I don't think that any groat harm has boon done. But there has been a mistake—especially in view., of tho life this poor woman led. Dr. Woodhouse: May J'ask Dr. Fraser a question? . J ,,.' Tho Coroner: I don't, think that you should. You are botli'in tho Bame box. Dr, Wood.housoi'l/toko it that my reputation is at stake through what you said this morning. 7,' Tho Coroner: Do, you want to shift it on to him? „ . '?.< ~",..,' Dr. Woodhouso:,No.. Tho Coroner:' Well, your reputation.-is at stake, in that,yon aid not got an authority for tho certificats. Dr. Woodhouso/ Wo did not get your authority, but' wo had the authority of a member of the, police force, and I certainly think'thati was g<!od enough to go on. (■'.''■. | Tho Coroner what do you want to nsk Drl Frasor? ' '\ Dr. Woodhouso (to Drt Fraser): When this woman died, did you think an inquest would'bo held? Dr. Fraser.: I 'Certainly. Dr. Woodhouso: It was only when you received this,message from the constable that you : camo to mo to see about a cer-. tificate?' ■.';." ' Dr. Fraser: Yes. ; Sergeaut Eutlcdgo repeated that something had .cropped up during'the morning which made it necessary for him to ask for a remand for the purpose of ascertaining wherp certain mcdicino and pills which had been found in deceased's houso had boon purchased.