LEFT SWEETHEART TO HER FATE

NZ Truth, Issue 1178, 28 June 1928, Page 7

LEFT SWEETHEART TO HER FATE

CALLOUS CONDUCT OF EMILY FORWARD'S LOVER

+■ . -. Coroner's Scathing Comments Provide Sensational Climax To Inquest On Brighton Bach Tragedy

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.) CALMLY AND WITH AN AIR of casual indifference, William Burgess, a Christchurch taxi-man, stood m the witness-box while the veil of shame that hid his scandalous treatment of a girl — who had given him, m her love, all that a woman can give to a man — was torn aside for the world to see the callousness and utter heartlessness of which Burgess was capable. For over an hour, at times an enigmatical smile on his lips, Burgess faced the rigors of a police examination which would have crushed the average man. But he stood unmoved and calmly collected as the story of his association with Emily Martha Forward, a young woman of 21, who committed suicide by means of a gas-tube leading from the stove m a lonely bach, at North Brighton, was unfolded m all its shameful detail before Coroner E. D. Mosley last week.

NO more pitiful tale of a woman's trust and Relief m a man— a trust ' that was shattered ■ under the hammer of disillusionment — has ever been heard m a Coroner's Court, nor has any man been so effectively shown up as such a callous heart-breaker as Burgess was proved to be. Poor Emily Forward believed and hoped that Burgess would do the right thing by her and make her his wife, so' that the baby that was to /be born would enter the world without a stigma being attached to it by a censorious world. But Burgess was already a married man with children of his own. Not only did he admit this, but he also coolly acknowledged that he had been "keeping company" with another young woman at the same time that Emily Forward was building all her hopes on a marriage that could never take place. It was even suggested at the inquest that Burgess was actually engaged to the other girl, but this he denied. The facts that came to light during the examination of Burgess by Chiefdetective Carroll literally shocked the court, as was evidenced m the scathing comments made by the coroner when returning a verdict of suicide by gas poisoning. "During my somewhat lengthy experience of ,the weaknesses of human nature," saia Coroner Mosley, "I have seldom met with a case of such callous indifference as has been revealed ;n this case this morning. "It has revealed a state of affairs that is a disgrace to a civilized-com-munity and which is certainly a disgrace to Burgess. "It has also revealed a very bad state of immorality, but I do not wish to refer at any great length to that. ....". "The whole of the circumstances surrounding the death and discovery of the body have been dreadful m themselves and sufficient to shock the senses of reputable citizens." The story of the discovery of the girl's body m the bach at Brighton, thi-ee months after death took place, has already been related m the columns of "N;Z. Truth." It was on June 6 that Mrs. Irene Passmore, who had been the dead girl's friend and confidante, called at the bach to see how she was getting, along. . It was nearly three months .since Mrs. Passmore had seen Emily Forward; kndwing that she was expecting to become a mother, she decided to call on her and inquire. Keeping Company? But when she arrived at the bach shortly after mid- day, the place bore a deserted appearance and the doorhandle was covered with cobwebs. Mrs. Passmore was on the point of departing when she 'decided to make sure whether the bach was inhabited or not. The door-handle turned to her touch and she entered the bach— to find the body, sitting m a chair, m a very advanced stage of decomposition, the tube leading from the gas-stove .being near the head .of' the dead girl. The police -were, immediately informed. Chief-detective J. Carroll and Detective-sergeant O'Brien proceeded to the bach to investigate. Following the removal of the body to the morgue for a postmortem examination, Detective-ser-geant O'Brien and other officers proceeded to examine the bach. On a table was a writing-pad and pencil, while m a chest of drawers I they found a quantity of male and j female clothing. It soon became known that "William Burgess was the lessee of the bach and that he had paid the rent ; regularly from the beginning of February up to about the middle of May. Burgess ' was interviewed by the police, but it was not until the resumed inquest on Friday last that the full story of the part he had played m the human drama became known. Following formal evidence as to the finding of the body and the letting of the bach to Burgess for twelve months, Burgess himself was called to the witness-box. ■ • On several occasions during the lengthy interrogation by Chief-, detective Carroll, who conducted the inquiry on behalf of the police, Lawyer Frank Sargent, . who appeared for Burgess, rose to object to the line of examination. At one stage, counsel intimated to the court that the last thing he wished was to bring up matters about the dead girl, but if the police persisted m the line they were adopting he would be compelled to do so. Burgeaa began by spying that he had been a taxi-driver engaged by Rink Taxis until recently. He had known the deceased and had met her for the first time about fifteen months ago. Chief-detective Carroll: Is it true that you used to keep company with her? — Not exactly keeping company with her; I used to go out with her. And is it true that while keeping company with her, you had certain relations with her? — Yes, that is true. And as a result of those relations, she became m a certain condition? — As far as I know; that is what she told me. You knew, of course, that she was m that condition? — She . told me she was. She was n6t living at home when you first met her? — No. I think she left her situation m the city about Christmas ?— Yes. And after she left her situation, where did she go? — -She' went to ' some place m Fendalton temporarily. After she left there she went down to

Brighton, as she would not go home to her own people and had nowhere to go to. I told, her she had better go down to the bach. And she and you stayed Jn that bach for some time, did you not? — No. You had another bach previously on the other side of the road, had you not? You stayed there then, did you? — I did not stay there. I was paying the rent of the place and used to go down there occasionally. And did Miss Forward, the deceased, stay there, too? — No, she had some friends nearby and used to come to see me. We will .put it this way: You occupied a bach on the opposite side of the road and she used to visit you there? — Yes. That was before you took the bach where the girl went to- finally? Early In February last you took this baoh at 51, Bowhill Road and deceased went to live there? —Yes. And you used to visit her there?— Yes. And did you sleep there occasionally? — No, I used to go down casually during the afternoons; I used to work at night.

Did you sleep at that baohi at any time?— No. Well, how did your clothes come to be found there? — I left them down there once when I, called. There were only two pairs of underpants and a shirt. The chief-detective then had a few pertinent questions to ask as to how. Burgess had provided for the girl during her stay at the bach. ' "Do you know if she had any money when she went down to the bach ?".. he inquired. She had none that Burgess knew of, but she "might have had a few shillings." Chief -detective: Well, how was she to live and how was she getting on for food?— tl used to go down, thereo n afternoons and give her a few shillings. And so far as you know,; she had no other money except what you gave to her? — That is correct. And can you say how much you gave her a week?— Well, sometimes I would not go down every day. When I did, I would give her three or four, •shillings, • In reply to further questioning: on the point, Burgess said the amount he gave to the girl would average about eight shillings weekly. And "so far as I know, that is all she had to live on," he added. Burgess said that when he took the bach for twelve months, he did not intend that the girl was to live there all the time. . : Mrs. Passmore had offered her a room at her place, but when she got into trouble and told him, he informed the girl that the best thing she could do would be to go down to the bach, He had taken- the bach -for his ■ own use at week-ends, he explained. Chief -detective Carroll ■; then .... pro-

ceeded to inquire searchingly into the question of 'the alleged marriage arrangement between Burgess and the girl. ; The questions that were fired at him m quick succession he answered glibly and without a tremor. Not once did Burgess show the slightest trace of emotion or feeling. He discussed the sordid tragedy and the circumstances leading up to It with as much sang-froid, as though he were ! discussing the weather. ' . The Chief-detective: Do you know whether the girl' passed herself off as "Mrs. Burgess"? — Not that I know of. Was anything said about marriage between you? — She was always asking me to marry her. And did you agree to marry her? — Ij [never answered her on that question. You did not tell her, though, thatj you were already married? — No; I did not tell her.' ' ' Nor did you tell her that you had two children?— No, I did hot tell her that. It is true that you are married ? — Yes. Why did you not tell her?— No answer. At this stage Lawyer 1 Sargent rose

to object, when the chief- detective began to aak: "Would it not have been more manly on . . .". Counsel objected strongly to this line of examination. The Coroner: "Well, I will ask him the question if it is m order. . What is it?" ;. The Chief -detective: "Well, sir, what I wanted to ask him is why did he not tell the girl that he was married." The Coroner: "Oh, it does not really matter asking that, does it?" Lawyer Sargent interposed with the] remark that the object: of a coroner's inquiry was to ascertain the cause of death. . The Coroner: "Yes, and also to inqxiire into all the surrounding 1 circumstances, so that riders. can be added to verdicts if necessary." Lawyer Sargent: "Yes, sir, but there must be some limit to the questions, otherwise witnesses might not be as frank as they ought to be. Burgess, so far, has been very frank indeed m his answers." The Coroner: "Oh, yes_ there is some limit, of course." He added that the point need not, be stressed, as it was apparent why Burgess had not told the girl. ■ ... The Coroner (to Burgess): "We will put it this way: You did not. tell her that you could not marry her?" Burgess : "No, I did not tell her." The chief- detective then resumed his rigorous examination. \ He did not spare Burgess on any single, point,. but the, more eftibarrassing the questions the cooler and more composed Burgess appeared to be. The Chief -detective: Now, you are. not engaged ['to anyone else, are ■ you,?-— No. ■':• - :V: " • •'■ - . , -■'■ Butvyou' , „were. r going -_ with .another

girl at the same time you were going out with this unfortunate girl, the deceased?— Yes, I was. Once more Lawyer Sargent rose m vigorous protest. "I do not want to bring out any matters about the deceased, but if the police persist m this way I am afraid I shall be compelled to do it. It has nothing to do with this Inquiry, really." The Coroner: "It is a question of morals." Chief- detective Carroll: "But this may have driven the girl to do what she did." Once again the voice of counsel was raised m a note of warning. "I don't want to attack the dead girl," he began. The Coroner: "The least said soonest mended, perhaps." . The Chief-detective: "We can't say definitely, of course, but it may be that the girl obtained some hews about this and it caused her to do what she did." The Coroner: "Your point is this: That during the time this young man was visiting deceased, he was going out with another girl?" The Chief -detective: "Yes, that he was already married and was going with another girl, and my information is that he was engaged to this other woman while the deceased was alive." Lawyer Sargent had reached the climax of his patience.' "Yes," he interrupted, "and this young woman was ' going out with other men . . . and was at one time attending the hospital for a certain complaint. I regret having to bring this up, sir." The Coroner: "But she recovered some time before all this arose, from information I have here. I don't think that should be pursued m the interests of both the living and the dead. "I can say this, though, that the other girl will no ddubt read the accounts of this inquiry m the newspapers and if she is fool enough to continue m a certain course of action, that is her own funeral." The inquiry settled down once more to unruffled calm. Burgess then told of his last meeting with the dead girl. It took place- one night after the pictures. They had gone along to Mrs. Pass- j 'more's house and the latter tried hard to persuade Emily to stay the night, but she refused to do so. As she was so intent on returning to the bach at Brighton, Burgess took her to Cashel Street and put her on the tram. . She told him she had no money and he gave her two shillings. Sweetheart's Tears They did not part the best of friends, said Burgess, 'Who went on to say: "That night she told me that she did not wish to see me again, as she was finished with me. She had been crying at Mrs. Passmore's." But he could give no reason for her tears. Chief -detective Carroll: You say she told you that nighl that she did not want to see you again?— -Yes, and that she. was finished with me. Did you go back to Brighton to see her at any time after that? — No. Well, you knew the condition she was In? You knew she had no money? Did It not ocour to you to see how she was getting on?*— No, she had told me she did not wish to see me again and that she would get along as best she could. And you took her at her word? — Yes. And glad to be free, eh? — No answer. Well, did it never occur to you to go down and see how she was getting on for food?— No, never. And from the time you last saw her at the bus, you never visited her at the bach? — No, I never saw her again, never went near her . . . nor did I have any communication with her. And you never made any inquiries about her? — No. • „ ■■ ■ - ■ And you never wondered how she was managing to live? — No. And so far as you. are aware, you were the last person to see her alive? —Yes, so far as I am aware. • The chief -detective sat doAvn, and, Lawyer Sargent having no questions to ask, Burgess. left the box. : Irene Rubina Passmore then told of her friendship for Emily Forward, of her discovery of the body in* the bach and what she knew about the relations that had existed between the girl and Burgess. She had always believed there "was an understanding between them that they were to marry when Burgess had his holidays. . ■ The, girl had threatened to take her own life and had told Mrs. ' Passmore that one day she would go m for a bathe m the sea and never some out . . . and that nobody would ever know what had happened to her. The last time she saw Emily alive was at the bach, when, she called with her mother on March 23. On that occasion she had no food m the house. And so the sad and pH.iful story of the fate of Emily' Forward was told. The coroner then '. made the comments already quoted and brought m his verdict of suicide. Burgess, from his seat m the body of the court, heard the strictures of the coroner unmoved, for all the signs he gave that he was m any way affected by the whiplash of official censure. • No sooner had the inquiry closed than Burgess left the court with his counsel. For a few moments they stood m consultation outside; then, with brisk and jdTunty step, the man whom the coroner had branded m such scathing terms passed along the street into the bustle of ; the city's crowded streets. .;.•-.■'»•'.