“WICKED CONCOCTION.”

Hokitika Guardian, 10 August 1927, Page 4

“WICKED CONCOCTION.”

CORONER EXPRESSES HIS OPINION. WELLINGTON. Aug. 8. ‘T do not believe that deceased requested ibis letter to be written, and I think it is only a wicked concoction on the part of the mother,” said the Coroner (Mr E. Page, .M.) to-day at an inquest into the death of Marjorie Alice Pickering (aged nineteen), who died in the Wellington Public Hospital on June 12. Alfred E. A. Pickering said that Ids wife became ill a few days before she died. A doctor was sent for and deceased was ordered into hospital. Flic died on the day of admission. AA it ness had never known his wife to take pills and he did not know she had been taking them until the day he sent for the doctor.

T)r A. Roberts gave evidence that the pills would not poison a person unless an over-dose was taken or they were taken too frequently. Jn his opinion, deceased died from poisoning as a result of taking the pills. Corroborative evidence was given by Dr P. P. Lynch, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, who conducted a post mortem examination on deceased.

The mother of tlie deceased, Annie M'G regor, said her daughter had told her site had taken the pills. Detective-Sergeant Holmes, who conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police, produced a letter which, he stated, was supposed to have been written by the dead girl. “Do you know anything about this!'” ho asked.

“Vos,” said witness. “Mv daughter requested me to write it by her bedside when she was ill.”

Mr Page: Whv did you write that letter, purporting to come irom the deceased ? Witness: She asked me to write it.

Mr Page: Is that true!'—Yes, sir. Will you swear that your daughter got you to write that letter, saying you were to have her baby and all the belongings?—l will.

Why did vou tell Detective Murray that your daughter wrote it?—l was Upset and wurrico at tile time. The Coroner found that deceased had died from poisoning al the result <;l taking too many pills. At the time of taking them, however, she had no idea of taking her own life and her death was accidental.

‘•Now,” said Mr Page. ”1 think I should sav something with regard to the letter said to have been unitm by the mother at her daughter's request. The mother, it appears wanted to have the child, and nine days after her daughter was dead she took the letter to Dr Huberts. In the witness box. she swore that the letter had been written by her for deceased at her daughter's bedside on June lit. Ihe whole of the circumstances convince me that the daughter knew nothing about that letter, and it was written by the mother with a view to getting tiie child and her daughter’s belongings. 1 believe the young cmtule Intel a happy lie’ together and that this letter was written by Mrs 31 Gregor after her daughter had been buried.”