DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 863, 9 July 1910, Page 3

DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

IN A MENTAL ASYLUM,

Auckland, July 7

The Auckland Mental Asylum at Avondale was this afternoon the scene of a shocking double tragedy, which resulted in the death of a male visitor and a female inmate.

Shortly after two o’clock a man giving the name of Herbert Jones called to see an inmate named Mrs Ellen M. Webster. He apparently was in a quite normal condition, and was allowed to see Mrs Webster in a corridor, aud the two were left conversing. About 3.30 p.m. the actingmatron, Violet Campbell, heard a noise as if someone had fallen, and rushed into the corridor to find Mrs Webster stretched on the floor, and Jones kneeling across her body. Dr A. N. M’Kelvey, assistant resident medical attendant, who was in a room off the corridor, was called iu, and, taking in the situation at a glance, at once administered a stomach pump, first on the woman, and afterwards on the man, but both expired within three or four minutes.

Close beside where the two bodies were lying there was a black brief bag, on the top of which were found a small bottle containing some crude prussic acid, and a 40Z. bottle which was empty, but had apparently contained a solution, and a small wine glass with a broken stem, which had doubtless been used to administer the deadly poison. On Jones being searched he was found to have in his possession a small rim-fire revolver, fully loaded in six chambers, and a box of cartridges, also a razor and only a few pence in money. Jones is described as an ex-Im-perial Army officer, who held a commission as captain during the South African war. He is a married man, about 50 years of age, of rather aristocratic appearance, and well dressed. His rather scanty fair hair has turned grey, and he wore a short grey moustache. Jones is understood to be a resident of Little Omaha, about 35 miles north of Auckland,, where his wife resides and has been taking charge of three of Mrs Webster’s young children. Mrs Webster, who is the wife of Mr Geo. Webster, also of little Omaha, was 31 years of age. She was admitted to the Mental Asylum from Auckland on October 30 of last year.

There were no marks of violence on either of the deceased, and no motive has been assigned tor the tragedy ; but letters were found on Jones which indicated that he contemplated suicide.

Both bodies were removed to the asylum morgue, and a postmortem examination ordered. An inquest will be held on Saturday morning. Dr. R. M. Beattie. Med Superintendent of the Me Hospital, when seen by a He. representative to-night, stated t he had known Captain Jones , some time. Jones had visited B hospital on several occasions, an>. had always taken a sympathetic interest in Mrs Webster, and pestered the doctor to release her. Mrs Webster was an orderly, wellbehaved patient, but quite insane, and she could not be released. To-day Dr. Beattie, who had been lecturing from 2 to 3 o’clock at the hospital, passed Jones and Mrs Webster in the corridor about 3.15, and they were conversing quite rationally. Dr Beattie left the hospital shortly alter for town, and was recalled by telephone. Auckland, July 8.

With the story of the tragedy is interwoven a tale of a somewhat romantic career. Mrs Webster was descended from an influential French family who were dispossessed at the time of the Revolution. Subsequently they went to England. They had been living in Kent for some time, and during the Boer war Mrs Webster went to South Africa. It was there that she met Captain Jones, who was an officer in the Imperial Army. At the conclusion of hostilities in South Africa he came to New Zealand in company with his wife, to whom he was married many years ago. Nothing more is known of Mrs Webster’s movements until she came to New Zealand. Neither is anything known concerning her married life except that Captain Jones had stated, in partial explanation of the interest he displayed in her case, that Mr Webster had deserted her in New Zealand and was dead. Then comes rather the sensational statement that Mrs Webster’s mind was so upset by reading a book that she became insane on October 30, 1909. She was admitted from Auckland to the Avondale Mental Hospital. Rightly or wrongly, it is said that the book purported to be a record of Mrs Webster’s own life. Auckland, July 8.

Captain Jones was born in Wales, and came to New Zealand from South Africa, where he was farming in partnership with Lionel Terry. Mrs Webster was a sister of Lionel Terry. The late Captain Jones bore evidences of hard campaigning. He was about 60 years of age. At Omaha he conducted the Red Vale Nursery, and made wine.

Mrs Webster {was approaching her fortieth year. At the mental hospital she was engaged in the mending-room, aud entered into all enjoyments with thorough zest. She had, however, a number of innocent delusions, aud was somewhat erratic in her conversation, though withal kindly disposed and very affectionate. A former acquaintance describes her as a fiue-'or' woman of superior bear ... d refinement, and displaying evidences of intellectual attainments.