“FIXING THIS UP”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8349, 8 February 1913, Page 5

“FIXING THIS UP”

CORONER’S DISCOVERY MORGUE WITHOUT A BODY. STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE HOSPITAL. A strange discovery was made yesterday afternoon at the hospital, where the coroner, Dr. A. McArthur, b.M., was to have held an inquest touching the death of the woman, Jessie Holt, (known as Mrs Edith Richards), who was removed to the institution after being found in a serious condition at a house in Lome street recently, and who died last Wednesday. Dr. McArthur went into the morgue to view the body, but it was not there. Tho coroner then proceeded to tho room where Senior-Sergeant Rutledge and the witnesses were awaiting the commencement of tho inquiry, and announced that the body could not be found. Dr. Phillip Randal Woodhouse, senior house surgeon at . the hospital, was summoned, and on the coroner inquiring what had become of the body, replied 1 that he had given authority for a certificate as to tho cause ot death to bo signed. Dr. McArthur: Who signed itf— Dr. Fraser, but I am to blame because I told him ha could give a certificate to tho effect that death was due to an accident. “Well, this is an extraordinary case. This woman has been put down as being married in my report, and in the newspapers she is said to be single, said the coroner. The woman was stated to have died as the result of a certain happening, and she was said to have taken lysol. There was every reason why the body should not have been taken away before he (tho coroner) gave a burial certificate. Dr. Woodhouse said the body was taken away from the hospital yesterday morning and was buried in the afternoon. , ... In reply to Dr. McArthur, beniorScrgeant Rutledge stated that the deceased had been living with a man named Richards, and was going under the name of Mrs Edith Richards. She had also gone under other names. . Dr. McArthur; Who was so anxious to bury her P Dr Woodhouse gave the name of the undertaker who had furnished the funeral. Dr. McArthur:, Of course, but who gave instructions to bury her? “The relatives buried her.” Dr. Woodhouse said the hospital authorities had received a message 1 that the police could not find anything which would lead them to suspect that the deceased had done away with herself, therefore he gave authority for Dr. Fraser to sign a certificate that death was due to an accident. ’ Dr. McArthur; Well, we have nothing to do about the question of criminality. We want to ascertain tho circumstances which brought about death. You can’t say that because a person dies of so-and-so you can give a certificate of burial P Dr. Woodhouse: Not at all. Wo have never done that. But, when i got this message I thought the police would have nothing further to do with her. Dr. McArthur inquired why he had not been consulted. Dr. Woodhouse: I told them distinctly that there must be an inquiry into this. Dr. McArthur: There has been some undue hurry over this, but I don’t say on the doctor’s part. Somebody has been fixing this up—somebody has been in a hurry to get her out of the road. It was decided that the inquest should take place at half-past 11 this morning at the courthouse.