WOMAN'S MIND UNHINGED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1939, 23 December 1913, Page 5

WOMAN'S MIND UNHINGED.

—-""ft ■' ■ HER FATAL ACT. (By TclcSraoU,- -PrOss 'Association.) Auckland, December 22. On Saturday afternoon Pauline M'Laughliin, a married woman., whose husband, John M'Laughlan, a labourer, I resides in Dundonakl Street", Newton, was so badly burned by walking into'a burning rubbish heap in Newton Road that she succumbed to her injuries a- few hours later at tho Hospital. A man named Jenkin saw Mrs. M l 'Laughlin approach tho rubbish heap; she stood for about ten minutes and then went towards tho heap of burning rubbish. Sli© _ remained watching smouldering debris for about, threequarters of an hour. Then she stirred it up with, her boot until her dress caught, fire. She screamed "Jack! Jackl" but apparently made no effort to extinguish her burning clothing or get away from the rubbish. Mr. Jeuldn hurriedly seized an old overcoat and hastened to tho woman's assistance. He wrapped tho coat round her and extinguislied the flames, but it was seen tliat the woman was badlv burned, and she was taken to the Hospital, where she died at 7.30 p.m.

Others who witnessed tho affair stated to the police that tho woman's act appeared to bo deliberate and that tho lightinE of her dross did no's seem to bo accidental.

Tho (teased was 25 years of ago.

At the inquest concerning the death of Mrs. M'Laughlan, it was stated that her real name was S'ylces. Sho had lived apart from her hflsband for several years with M'Latichlan. The evidence showed sho had been drinking during the afternoon. Medical evidence indicated that she was burned from lier feet to her neck.

Tho coroner said deceased walked into tho embers and set fire to her clothing. There was little cvideneo as to the state of her mind prior tn tho act, bttt she had evidently been distressed, and that in conjunction with her trouble and tho means employed satisfied him that at the time she was of unsound mind. He returned a verdict accordingly.