SUICIDE FOR A SLAP. A YOUNG GIRL DESTROYS HERSELF.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 421, 20 November 1889, Page 5

SUICIDE FOR A SLAP. A YOUNG GIRL DESTROYS HERSELF.

A kepobt from Booligall (New South Wales) states that an inquest has been held on the remains of Isabella Turner, a girl 17 years old, who appears to have committed suicide under extraordinary circumstances. The mother of deceasad deposed that the girl's brother, William C. L. Turner, got in deceased's way while she was making some toast, or in some way interfered with her, and she slapped him. He cried and made a noise, and as witnes? did nofc allow deceased to correct the children, she (witness) ga\e deceased a slap. The latter then left the kitchen, and- witness did not see her again for ten minutes. After a lapse of about ten minutes deceased called out from her bedroom, " Mamma, mamma !" Witness Baid, " Yea," and deceased came out of her room into the sitting-room, and said to witness, "I have taken poison." Witness screamed out. "No, no;" and said, 11 Where did you eet it from ?" Deceased then took witness into her (witness 5 ) bedroom, drew out the medicine chest and showed witness the bottle she had taken the poison from. It was strychnine, and the bottle was marked " Poison " and " Strychnine." Wituess immediately got a bottle of ipecacuanha wine, and gave deceased nearly the whole of a 2oz. bottle in warm water. While witness was getting the ipecacuanha wine deceased had one fit of convulsions and fell back on the floor. She shortly afterwards had another fit, during which she died. Witness asked deceased why she took it, but in reply she only clapped her hands on her chest and said, "Oh, God." Witness thought the only cause for deceased taking the poison was because witness had reproved her for striking her brother, because when leaving the kitchen she said, "If 1 am not to beat them I'll have nothing more to do with them." Witness believed she took the poison not with the intention of killing herself, but to frighten witness. The following finding was returned :— " The deceased, Isabella McVey Turner, took a doso of strychnine while labouring under temporary excitement caused by chastisement received from her mother, thinking thereby fo alarm her mother, but not to commit suicide, although it resulted fatally."

Feeling reference to the death of the late Inspector O'Sullivan was made at the meeting of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute on Saturday afternoon last. Mr Hanison ! spoke of the deceased as the teachers' friend and of his splendid character, which never received the amount of recognition it deservad. He moved : "That this branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute desires to exprees deep regret at the death of the late Chief Inspector of School^ Mr O'Sullivan, and to offer to Mrs O'Sullivan and family its sympathy and condolence." Mr Leonard, in seconding the resolution, aaid that he could endorse all that Mr Harrison had s&id about Mr O'Sullivan. Mr Pailey spo^e of Mr O'Sullivan as the author of the existing educational system of the colony. Messrs Stewart, Scott, and Worthington also spoke in support of the resolution, and it was carried unanimously. Reference was subsequently m.ade to the case of Inspector Fidler, and it was iesolved, on the motion of Mr Bailey, seconded by Mr Goates, and supported by Messrs Harrison, Scott, Stewart and Percival, "That this branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute desireß to place o,n record ice sense of the services rendered to the cause of education in this district by Mr Inspector Fidler, and expresses its regi et th*at owing fco ill-health he has been constrained to give up his appointment under the Board of Education,"