EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 June 1919, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

CORONER’S AMAEMENT. WHANGAREI, June 4.. Evidence as to a hallueiation leading to an extraordinary mode of suicide was given today before the Whangarci Coroner, Mr J. Mcliillen, at an inquest into" the circumstances of the death of Jessie West, who since April‘ Ql, was employed as a llouseniaid at the Whamgarei Hotel. It was stated that deceased was about 32 years of age. ‘She was regarded as married and living apart. from her husband. It is not. known whether West was her maiden name, or her married name. The evidence showed that deceased, accompanied by a friend, Pearl Burke, a housemaid at the same hotel, walked down to the Whangarei wharf shortly after eight. o’clock On Monday night and proceeded to undress on the wharf. weal-ing only her nightdrcss she handed her clothes to Burke, and bade her return to the hotel, which she did, leaving the white figure of her friend standing ‘on the launch steps, just above the water of the tidal river. The body so dressed‘ was recovered on Tuesday some distance down the river by Charles Vining, settler. of Awaroa. Creek. He notified ‘the police, who had already, in consequence of information from the licensee of the hotel, been surching the river all day. Th deceased was one of the best housemaids in the hotel, sharing a room with another girl named Murray, where she used to hold spiritualistic meet.ings with Burke and Murray. A week previous t-o her death the deceased said to the latter in Burke ’s presence that she intended to drown herself. ‘ , The girl Burke was deeply affected when giving evidence. She stated that she walked to the wharf together with deceased. who-s-aid she was “going to a friend.” When told not to be foolish, deceased answered, “My Freddie is calling me.” . The Cordilel': “Wlle.z'e was Freddie?” Witness: He is dead. It was his spirit calling. The deceasecl also said before leaving the hotel th-at she had nothing to live for. Continuing, witness said she did not

call for help when she left her friend on the wharf nor inform anyone , as the deceased begged her to let her go and not tell. The deceased left all her clothes to Burke, and -a. letter was read as follows: “Should any dispute arise over my belongings I have given them all to Pearl Burke. She is in no way helping‘ me to ‘do what I am about to ilo—— Jessie West.” This letter was handed to witness on till Monday night, some while previous to the walk to ithe wharf. The Coroner: Didn’t you ‘try to persuade her not to do this? \Vituess: Yes. I said don ’t go, Jessie. You are too young. You -have :1 lot to live for. The deceased replied “.\T-3 I have nothing to live for. M)' I"re-id’ee has gone, and I must go also.

The coroner, summing up, grid 11 ‘.\"lS one of the most. curious inqnests. he had ever had to‘ deal With. It was quite clear the life of the deceased might have been saved if ordinary common sense had been used by her companion. It was evident from the conversation during the walk to the wharf that deceased intended to drown herself. Burke nevert’-helesis accompanied liter and allowed her to disrobe. She took I;ossession of her clothes, and coolly wallred away. It was difficult for a rational being to imagine such an incident. He found a verdict that deceased. Jessie West, came to he.r death in the Whangarei River, and death was due from drowning by throwing herself into the water. He was inclined to think there was mental derangement. not. only indicated by -suicide, but by hearing voices, all pointing to the ‘inference that the deceased was out of her mind. He was not. prepa.r‘ed to say thzxt no blame should attach to anyone. Pearl Burke was morally to blame, if not liable under the criminal law. It might.‘ be she was a simple kind of girl. and she must be so, or she would not have acted in the way she did.