Tragedy in a Flat.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 January 1911, Page 3

Tragedy in a Flat.

AVOMA.VS DEATH AXD I.OYFirM SUTCIDR. The tragic on:l of a man after the flea till fif the woman wirh whom he lived described at a d'.niMe ii.r,-iest fin iihoir hodics at Si i-r-it!-;i'n. Lon- (!'•!!. 'flio man, George - Bernard, n.tred 30. was a shipping snpiM-inten'!-ont. and the woman. Kathleen Stafford, :M was a secret arv and typist. They lived in ; i fht i,, KahoMrne road, Balliain London. l>r T?p,<rin ;I |([ Ivlwnrd Cnss :-laied that Barnard called, hint to the woman on Thursday morning. S]:e was delirious and ' quickly "became eomatose. She died at midni-ljt on Mnirsday from diabetes. cereln-il haemorrhage, and coma. ..Joseph Rnrnard. of Hani, road Thornton Heath, father .of the man, '■•aid Mmt he hist saw his ,s<>n two niontii.s n<lo. He was invcn to understand that his .so;! marri"d fire years n-.ro !>ut tiho witness iiad never •>een liis wife.

A woman who acted ns inμ-so to Kathleen .Stafford said that Mr Barj iiiir-d told her (the witness) to call at eight o'clock on Fridav morning, but when she. called she could not get into the flat. The witness went for Dr Cross, who. with a poliVp constable, entered the flat from the back. Police, Constable Frederick William Giles stated that he found Barnard in the sitting room with a wound in his throat. In noirther room lay the corpse of the woman, wrapped in a sheet. Dr Cross said tillnfc Barnard hnd heen dead five or six hours whr>u discovered. There was a large selfinflicted wound in the throat. The coroner read the following letter, written by Barnard:--"To my mother and sisters, mv only love and comforts.- T go to meet the only pal T had in my life I leave Lo mv mother all that bplones to me." T!ie jury returned a vordiiot of Natural deaflh," in the case of the woman, and of "Suicide during temporary insanity," in the case of Barnard. Mrs Barnard, the man's widow, was present at the inquest.