A TRAGIC STORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3744, 21 January 1928, Page 3

A TRAGIC STORY.

TWO LIVES WRECKED,

MAN WHO WAS FALSE.

More than coincidence linked the gas-poisoning tragedies at Lyall Bay and Mount Cook, in Avhich three lives were lost. This was shown by the evidence at an inquest held at Wellington on Wednesday bn Flora M'Murtie, aged 27, Avlio was found dead at 100 a, Tasman Street, on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased’s father, AndreAV M'Murtie, a farmer, of Kimbolton, gave evidence of identification. He last saAv his daughter alive at Feilding four years ago. Since then he had not heard from her. Jessie Gladys’ Pemberton said that she had knoAvn the deceased for nearly tAvo years under the name of Flora M'Lean, and had lived Avith her for over a year. When Avitness saw her at 9 o’clock on Monday night she was in good health, but seemed upset. The reason for her depression, Avitness considered, was that she had been engaged to Harold Wilson, avlio was one of the victims of the Lyall Bay tragedy on Saturday last, and Avas to have been married this month. The deceased told Avitness that she i did not think she would go to Avork the next day. The next morning the deceased’s employers telephoned to Avitness, asking her if she had seen the deceased. As a result Avitness Avent to the house in Tasman street, but found it locked. She called out the deceased’s name but received no response. A neighbour then looked in through a windoAv, and as a result of what he 'saw the police were telephoned. Witness identified a note addressed to her in the deceased’s handAvriting, and added that she Avas satisfied from the contents that Wilson’s suicide Avas the rea’son for the deceased taking her life. Constable H. A. Hay, of Mount Cook, gave evidence of having found the deceased dead on a couch in the kitchen Avith a gas tube near her head and the tap turned on. Gas Avas also escaping from the light bracket. “Wilson, from Avhat avc knoAV of him, ( appears to have been a scoundrel,” remarked the Coroner (Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.), at the conclusion of the evidence. “He not only committed suicide himself, but also Avrecked the lives of these two women. . . . One can easily imagine how the deceased felt in the circumstances, and one can only say that it must have been the depression from Avhich she Avas suffering Avhen she found that Wilson Avas false to her that affected her mental condition and caused her to take her life.” A verdict Avas returned that the deceased died from the effects of gas-poisoning, self-administered, Avhile suffering from depression. 'Sergeant Bonisch, of Mount Cook, conducted the inquest for the police.