UNKNOWN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8156, 13 July 1906, Page 2

UNKNOWN

AN UNSATISFACTORY VERDICT FEB PBESS ASSOCIATION. CIIHISTCHUBCH, July 12. The adjourned inquest was held today touching the death of Mrs Jane. Cross who was found dead in the scullery of her house in Sydenham last Saturday afternoon, with the lower part of her body very badly burned. She iiad been living by , herself for the week, as her husband was away working. Evidence was given that a woman smokintr a cigarette was seen leaving the house on Friday evening. A Mrs Fraser admitted having visited the house during the afternoon, but left at about five o'clock, Mrs Cross coming to the gate to see her off. Other witnesses stated that Mrs Cross must have been dead at least fifteen hours when she was found on the Saturday afternoon, and her remaining clothes were found to be wet. The Coroner said that he was inclined to think that after deceased's clothes caught fire, somebody in the house attempted to put the fire out, but finding the woman was seriously injured, cleared out and left her. He thought that the woman Frasor could have thro ra more light on the affair than she had done. At his suggestion the jury returned an open verdict.