PRISONER’S DEATH IN GAOL.

Mt Benger Mail, 26 October 1938, Page 1

PRISONER’S DEATH IN GAOL.

WOMAN STRANGLED IN CELL. An extraordinary accident led to the death, in a Manly police cell of Mrs Elsie Wall, 52, who had been arrested on the relatively trivial charge of drunkenness. Although the medical evidence showed that she had been strangled, there were no marks on her throat. Following the usual routine, she was put in a cell, after her arrest, until her husband was told of it and arrived to bail her out. When he walked down the passage of the gaol he was shocked to see his wife’s head protruding in a strange way from the opening in the cell door. Standing on the cell board, she had apparently put her head through the aperture in the door of her cell to look out. The board had slipped from under her feet, and her head had become caught and twisted, so that she could not move or cry out. Remarking that it was a most extraordinary accident, the Coroner returned a finding of accidental death.

Death also took another prisoner, but in this case it was self-sought. Desmond Ray Doyle, 24, of unknown address, had been arrested and locked up at Campsie on a charge of housebreaking. While he was being questioned in the cell, he suddenly said to the detective: “Look, I think this is the easiest way out,” and put poison in his mouth. He was rushed to hospital, but, died 15 minutes after he had taken the poison.

His last words while being taken to hospital were: “Hazel, I love you.” From other words which they could only partly hear, the police believe that he had been jilted, but at the inquest a girl witness said there had been nothing between her and Doyle. He was a private inquiry agent, she said, and was frequently away in the country. When he came back to town, ho used to take her to the pictures. That was all.

Following the usual routine, the police had everything taken away from Doyle when they locked him up, and at first they were mystified as to how he had secreted the poison. On examining his Nothing, however, they found a •small tear in the lining of his pocket. They concluded that he had the poison sewn’ into his coat.

Interest in politics among some primary; schools in the Northern Wairoa has grown to such an extent, says an exchange, that some of the children are dividing into gangs. Recently there: was an incident of ducking various children, and it was not until an investigation was made by the head master that it was found' that Labour, supporters were “ducking” National adherents. f f Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure For Children’s Hacking Cough-