DEAD HUSBAND'S SECRET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 269, 6 November 1908, Page 4

DEAD HUSBAND'S SECRET.

fatal wound concealed for ■TIIUJiK MONTHS. Undon, September l(j. A striking ins-lance of a- husband's devotion, was revealed at the Maryle■bune Police Court yesterday, when Mrs. Elsie Cooper, a young widow, living at Conduit-residences, Paddinglon, was accused ui the manslaughter of her husband. Although, it is alleged, Mrs. Cooper slabbed her .husband with a hatpin, the man, in order to shield his wife, conscaled the fact tor three months, and died without revealing his secret. t onper wa*.admitted to the Paddington Infirmary, but no mention was made of the pin, and its presence was not suspected until the post-mortem examination was made.

.At the inquest held last week thev widow said a hatpin entered her husband's thigh while he was gelling into bed 'three months ago, and broke as he was pulling it out. lie did not consult a doctor, she asserted, and only became iil some days before his death. . A medical man stated that he found I a piece of hatpin hi the man's Jung. This [ had set up inllaininatioii and caused death. In his opinion the fragment have worked it<* way through the, man's budv and lodged iu the lung. „ 1 After hearing the evidence the jury i returned a verdict of "Accidcnt'il Death,' but statements made by relatives caused the police to arrest Mrs. Cooper. •When arreted she began to cry, and said: '! did stab him on 17th May. It was my husband'* dying wish that 1 should say it was the baity that did it. "1 did it under great .provocation," she continued. "It was on a Sunday night. J wc.it out for a walk with myi sister-in-law. My husband was standing at the corner ol the street when f got back. "He accused me of being unfaithful, but J went upstairs and did not reply to him. AA hen he came indoors he vpeated the .statement, and this made me lose my temper. "J rushed at him with my hatpin in my hand. "Without thinking'what Jiwas doing 1 istuciv it into his side, and it broke oil".

"Wo were liolli sorry then for what had happened. and jnad'e friends. Arl run said he would toll people lie hud done it accidentally." The .magistrate granted a remand.