"SET MY DRESS ON FIRE"

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1806, 19 July 1913, Page 5

"SET MY DRESS ON FIRE"

SHOCKING AFFAIR. DRINKING BOUT & A WOMAN'S DEATH. HER NEIGHBOUR CHARGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) Aucklandi July 18.. As the Tesult of a quarrel at Henderson late ycstc-rday afternoon, a middleaged woman, named lillen Ahlgren, was last evening admitted to the Auckland Hospital suffering from shocking . injuries, from which she died at noon today., She is alleged to have received these injuries through hor clothes being deliberately set on lire, und a neighbour, named Sarah Alico Williamson, has lieeu arrested. Although details of what actually occurred aro meagre, and not easy to pieco together, the outstanding feaiuro of tho all'air is that therohad l>een a good deal of drinking. Mr. Ahlgren visited tho city, travelling by tho G a.m. train in the morning, and returned by the 9 a.m. train in possession (it is stated) of ono or two bottles of beer. By the midday train arrived ono "Hilly" Brown, a man who had previously lived at Henderson, and, it is alleged, ho also carried a supply of liquor, and went to Ahlgren's house. Ho had been paid oif tho barque Bona that day, and ho banded. somo money to Mrs. Ahlgren. This money was subsequently given into tho possession of tlvo tfoman Williamson. Tho first intimation of serious consequences was received at the railway station, when Brown rushed over with the news that Mrs. Ahlgren had been severely burned, and urgent medical attention was required. A porter named Wansbono responded to tho call for assistance, and, running' over to tho cottage, found tho injured woman huddled up in front of tho fireplace in tho common living-room of tho liouso, and moaning in consequence of burns which she had sustained. Mrs. Alhgren's depositions were taken at tho hospital last evening before Mr. E.' C. Cutten, S.M., and Mrs. Williamson was present. Tho substance of tho first part of tho nOto taken was as follows Ellen Ahlgren was ablo to give her depositions coherently, but occasionally made violent interjections, especially in charging accused with committing tho injury. Witness stated l that Mrs. Williamson, who was a neighbour, went to her house in the morning, and remained till about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. They partook of beer together, but wore not drunk. Mrs. Williamson cleaned up tho house, and deponent handed her 6omo groceries. "I swear she set fire to mo," sho loudly i exclaimed at this point. Tho Inspector: How did sho sot firo to you ? Mrs. OMigron: Sho asked mo down to her place, and threw a bucket at mo. Tho Inspector: Why did she do this? Mrs. Ahlgren: Because she is always getting on to me. Tho Inspector; But how did sho set fire to you? Mrs. Ahlgren: Sho sot a light to my dress with a match. The Inspector: Was it dono delibcratoly? Mrs. Ahlgren; Yes, it is not tho first tiino that sho has tried to do away with mo. I tried my best'to put tho tiro out. In referring to Mrs. Williamson's hostility the injured woman supplemented her "information by alleging undue familiarity between accused and her husband. She said that, when she realised that her clothes were on fire, sho rolled on Iho grass in an endeavour to put the firo out. It was while outside Mrs. Williamson's house that tho latter set fire to her dress. Mrs. Williamson then walked inside and sho (Mrs. Ahlgren) screamed for assistance, (jotting .no response she struggled towards her own home, but gave way under the strain, and partially collapsed. At this stage opportunity was taken to refer to the accused (Mrs. Williamson). "Ton linvo heard what this woman has said," remarked tho magistrate. "Yes, but I know nothing about if at all," firmly replied the accused. .Mrs. Ahlgren was then further questioned. "Was there any quarrel?" asked Mr. Cntten. Mrs. A'hlgren. No. She only called me "Black Nell." Inspector M'Clrath: When did she call von "Black Nell"?—" After I got to her house." , The inspector: Was sho sober?— Yes, we were both sober." Mrs Ahlgren then went on -to declare that Mrs. Williamson did not live with her husband, and was known by several names. "She sot fire to infc» p3.sp.ocl . Alilgren in conclusion. Mrs. Williamson will appear at the Police Court on Friday next.