THE AUCKLAND SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 77, 9 July 1910, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND SENSATION.

AN EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR. A DOCTOR'S STATEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Yesterday, la regard to the double tragedy at the Auckland Asylum, Dr. Beattie has made the following statement.- '-Jones came to beg permission to take Mrs. Webster out for the day, s 0 that she could see her baby. This I declined, for various reasons. By my permission he twice brought the other children to the mental hospital to see their mother! Jones seemed very much attached to the cnudren, and when speaking of Mrs. Webster it was always in a kind, affectionate manner. Mrs. Webster also seemed greatly attached to her children. On no occasion did Jones appear to snow any symptoms of mental weakness- in conversation with me or do anything which led me to anticipate the tragedy. When I saw him yesterday'he seemed cheerful, and there was no indication of his''being intoxicated or '• having' 'had any liquor When I passed them in the corridor, Mrs. Webster was sitting beside r: «]iim' talking : «s,™lly Kioyant..spirits. She was a very. bright' arid lively .woman), '-and I was very much astonished When I heard of the tragedy. When previously at the mental hospital Jones asked my private.;opinion of Mrs. Webster's mental condition. I told him I thought tlhere were some hereditary features in the case. Although, I "was riot prepared to say slie would , not recover ultimately, 1-felt m ; my- ; own mind that the si pfos'fiects of her •rccb've*y ! ;: Were very remote. Hc.-wmarked: 'Then I conclude she will never gefc .-bettejr, and went away." ... A ROMANTIC STORY.' With the story of the , .tragedy,, .is interwoven a tale of a somewhat romantic career. Mrs. Webster was descended from an influential ''French family, which was dispossessed *ati.' the timejfi 'dS' : fchef revolution, and subsequently went to England..-. They had been living in Kent for,-some* jtime, and during the Boer war Mrs;" Webster went to South Africa, and it was there that ishe met Captain Jones, an officer' of the Imperial Army, who 'a-fttie" conclusion of hostilities in South Africa came to New Zealand' in company with his wife, /to whom he was married many years ago. Nothing- more <,vas known of Mrs. Webster's movements until she also came to New Zealand. Neither is anything known concerning her '.married life, except' tl{al''<3apttiin Joi¥s "haft Stated in partial explanation olr 'the interest he displayed in her case that Webster deserted her in New Zealand, and was dead. r , Then comes the rather sensational statement that Mrs. Webster's mind -"is iso upset by reading a book that she became insane. On October ■ 30, 1909, she was admitted from Auckland to Avondale Mental Hospital. Rightly or wrongly, it is said "that the book purported to be a record of Mrs. Webster's own life.

LIONEL TERRY'S PARTNER. AND TERRY'S SISTER?' Auckland, Last Night. Captain Jones was born in Wales, and came too New Zealand from South.Africa wliere he was farming in. partnership with Lionel Terry. , Mrs. Webster was a sister of Lionel Terry. ,',''■ ..U "i'