OVERBOARD TO DEATH.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5238, 13 February 1928, Page 4

OVERBOARD TO DEATH.

BRIDE’S TRAGIC BIVE.

A MID-OCEAN TRAGEDY. With the arrival of the liner Transylvania in the Glyde fuller derails of the disappearance of the newlywedded Mrs George Thomson —as the former Glasgow girl, Miss Jean> Brown, had become within a few weeks of her death—threw a little more light on the mysterious reason, for her fatal dive to death in midAtlantic.

It was obvious; to all the; thirdclass passengers, of whom Mrs Thomson was one, that she was not in the best of spirits. Mrs, Thomspjn was one of twins, and an enthusiastic sports; girl a year or two ago. From her conversation, it was evident that she had no love; for America, and, in fact, became ill there shortly after her marriage, which, , according to immigration law, took place within ( two days of her arrival in the States, siix -weeks ago. The story of Mrs Margaret M’acr artney, a trained nurse on the Transylvania, .who took a great interest in the girl, throws open the drama of the last scene. Mrs Macartney was asked by the , stewardess if she could persuade Mrs Thojmson to eat, as the a the young woman had peristently fused her meals. Mrs McCarteney ,we,nt to the cabin with the stewardess, and there found the girl lying down. She was; persuaded, howejyer, to go to the dining saloon, and, AFTER A LOT OF COAXING

ate a little of fish. All she would say when asked what was wrong was, “ I have disgraced his family and my own.” ’When they went back to the cabin Mrs Macarteney undressed the girl and put Uier to : bed, and Mns Thomson, in a tremulous; voice, whispered, ‘‘This is what I have been ing since I left New York.” To Mrs Maearteney’s painful surprise, when she locked at the fingers the girl held out she. saw that the nails, in nervous excitement, had heen bitten, down to the flesh. , Mrs Thomson vehemently declared that she would never return to hdr people in Glasgow, and persisted in this, even although Mrs Macarteney assured her of the happiness that awaited her, and of the joy of her parents at the reunion. Mrs Maearteney’s story of the last dramatic minutes was told with emotion, and it was only by a great effort that she did not break down altogether. She had gone on deck in a blizzard, and about half-past ten all dancing stopped. “A young man was helping me on with my coat,” she continued, “when I saw Mrs Thomson pass me on her way to the stern. 1 said to my friend, ‘Look! That girl is going overboard.’ I did not wait until my coat was properly on my back. I rushed after the girl, ■ and just as I made a grab at her clothing she mounted the rail. Then the .vessel lurched, and I Was thrown back against the wall of the smoke'-room. I shouted, ‘My God, she’s gone.!' ” The vessel was stopped, and a boat held in readiness for launching, while the Transylvania, in spite of a raging blizzard and heavy seas, went back over her course and sought, by the searchlight’s beams, to trace the body in the waters. It was a tiopelesp quest, and the sad voyage home was resumed.