THE WHANGAREI SUICIDE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 272, 13 August 1919, Page 6

THE WHANGAREI SUICIDE

PEARL BJTOKE DISCHARGED, By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, August 12. The case against _Pearl Burke, indictoi of having aided and abetted in the suicide of Jessie West at Whanga,rei on June 2, came before the Supremo Court to.-day. When Mr. Justice Chapman made his charge to the Grand Jury on the legal aspect of the indictment, His Honour traversed the facts as placed on the depositions, pointing out that tie young woman, Mi's. West, though obviously in a morbid condition of mind in consequence of the circumstances surrounding her marriage and her tendency-towards spiritualistic seances, apparently of considerable determination of character and strength of will. It appeared evident from th 9 depositions that Pearl Burko was a rather weak-willed young woman, and was strongly influenced by the older woman. It further 6eemed that 6he stood by passively whilo Jessie West committed suicide, and there was evidence that sho did 60 at the behest of Jessie West, who seemed to bo a mastermind. If it had been a man who had [ stood passively by and watched a person deliberately commit suicide, one would think strongly of his conduct circumstances' here were different — Tho Grand Jury returned no bill in the case. • - His Honour 6lated that he quite agreed with the finding l of the jury. It seemed to him that the unfortunate woman who had committed suicide was the leading l inind, and that the part played by Pearl Burke was entirely a passive one. On the other hand it was a proper action on the, part of tyie police to have had the circumstances mode the subject of a charge, and for the Magistrate to have committed the. accused, so that the whole matter might be fully investigated and made clear.