A GIRL'S SAD DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 127, 20 November 1911, Page 8

A GIRL'S SAD DEATH

.JUMPS FROM A MOVING TKAIN. A sad tale of a young woman's impul- i live protest against drink was unfolded at Goire during the recent inquest on t'lio body of Elizabeth Gibson, who was found on the railway line near Pukerau on the previous Monday night. The inquest was heard before Mr. Andrew Martin (Coroner) and a jury of six. Mr. A. T. Erinis watched the proceedings on behalf of the Railway Department. William Gibson fatheir of the deceased, a picture-framer, carrying on business in Invercargill, said that as far as he knew deceased stood on the platform from the time the train left Clinton until the accident occurred. She joined the train at Dunedin, and seemed in her usual health and spirits. Witness admitted that he had had liquor that day, and in consequence 'of that liquor he was lying on the seat of the carriage for part of the journey. If the deceased bad come into the carriage he might not have seen ! her. Witness did not have any drink in the train. He had two bottles of beer with him, but did not open them'. He had a good many drinks shortly before he left Dunedin. Mrs. Gibson was with witness, and she also partook of liquor refreshments at Dunedin. As far as witness could see she was "almost" sober. She might have been under the influence of liquor. The deceased was very much against drink, as were all his daughters. Witness could not assign any reason for suicide, except that deceased had a set oil drink. He did not think she would go that far. He knew of no reason whatever why the deceased should take her life unless it was in consequence of the drinking. Sergeant Burrowes: Do you remember

hearing deceased say to her mother, "Father has had a drop of drink, and I feel like jumping off the train?" Witness: I did not hear it. Mrs. Gibson, who was sitting in the body of the Court, and who had been sobbing and repeatedly interjecting, ejaculated, "No, no," and refused to keep , silent until she was threatened with expulsion from the Court. Continuing, in reply to Sergeant Burrowes, witness said that he could not say that deceased' jumped off the train, because he was under .the influence of drink. Sarah Gibson, the mother of the deceased, said she remembered meeting the deceased at Dunedin on Monday. One of witness' son was very ill at Invercargill, and witness, asked the deceased to come home and see him. The deceased said she did not like Invercargill, and wanted to return to Dunedin. The deceased heard somebody on the train ask Mr. Gibson to have a whisky, asd deceased said: "Mother, father has had some beer, and if he takes whisky you j know how it will play up with him." Mr. Gibson did not take any whisky, as far as witness knew. Mr. Gibson had two bottles of beer with him, but when the train arrived a.t Invercargill the beer was missing. The deceased did not suggest throwing the bottles off the train. She said: "If dad takes any whisky I would think nothing of jumping off the train." Witness' replied: "Lizzie, don't talk rubbish." This conversation took place on the platfoTm of the carriage. Witness went into the carriage and left deceased on the platform. Witness did not know where the conversation ended, but it was south of Balclutha and before the train arrived at Gore. Witness did not pay much attention to deceased's remarks about jumping off the train, but regarded it man empty threat. Witness did not sec the deceased after she left her on the platform.

fn reply to the Coroner, witness said aha was in ordinary good health that day, and understood what her daughter said. Mr. Gibson was not drunk, but he wa3 tired. Witness admitted having ore or two glasses of beer at Dunedin She was not affected by the drink at all. The deceased did not remark that witness bad been drinking. Witness did not see the deceased washing her father's face m the lavatory. In reply to Sergeant Burrowes, witness said most emphatically that she was not under the influence of drink. Mr. Gibson bore broke in with, 'What j, J' oll mean by under the influence of drink?"

Sergeant Burrowes: When a person is away from his normal condition. Mr. Gibson: It's a big question. Mrs. Gibson: Aye it's a big question, feergeant Burrowes: Now that you have mentioned the matter, Til prove Jw ,v 0U " ere al)s °lutely drank, and that Mrs. Gibson was under the influence of drink.

. T' lo witness was rigidly cross-exam-med as to her drinking on the day in question, but could only remember having "about" three drinks. Witness said she knew her daughter's writing, but could not identify the writing on the note produced as her daughter's She would not swear that the note was not written by her daughter. The jury found that Miss Gibson was killed through jumping off the train whilst mentally depressed.