BIRKENHEAD TRAGEDY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 11

BIRKENHEAD TRAGEDY

From Yesterday's Late Edition.)

WOMANS STRANGE SUICIDE EVIDENCE AT INQUEST A verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned by the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., today at the inquest concerning the death of Annie Elizabeth Bishop, whose charred body was found at Birkenhead on Monday Mrs. Bishop was fouud in scrub near her home in Orewa Road. Evidence was given by Mrs. Jessie Capp. a sister of deceased, that Mrs. Bishop had been very depressed for several weeks aiul had been losing weight. About 9.30 o'clock on Sunday night, Mrs. Bishop announced her intention of retiring to bed on the sleeping porch. She undressed in witness’s room. She was wearing a dressing gown when she left the room. The following morning, one of the children reported that Mrs. Bishop was not in her room, and witness found the bed had not been slept in. She informed the police. Mrs. Capp added that she knew from the depressed state her sister was in that she would have to be watched. Witness said there was a fairly full bottle of kerosene in the house. The finding of the body, about 5.40 a.m.. was described by Constable Charles Snow, of Birkenhead, who said a patch of pine needles about a yard square seemed to have been scraped together, and the body was lying on top of that. The constable added that Mrs. Bishop had told him previously she was going downhill. He did not think she was mentally strong and he was not surprised at her committing suicide. There was an empty bottle for kerosene near the body. Hr. J. W. Craven describe the* terribly charred state of the body from the neck to below the knees, stating that the body must have been exposed to severe heat. The woman had been under his care since her husband’s death. Sb.e was suffering from debility, but showed no suicidal tendencies.