BURIED IN HASTE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 224, 10 February 1913, Page 5

BURIED IN HASTE.

, i THE WELLINGTON SCANDAL. Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The ijiquest on the woman Jessie Edith Hoult, or Mrs. Richards, was continued on Saturday. Dr. Woodhonse. acting-medical superintendent of the hospital, said that de-ceased-was admitted at midday, on January 31, suffering from burns on the lower portion of the body. There were some bruises on her back. She told him , that three weeks previously she had had a miscarriage, and that afterwards she ' had used lysol as an injection. That would, said the witness, account for her ' condition She died on Wednesday night. v It was not possible to make an absolutely complete examination, owing to | her condition, without an anaesthetic, i and she might have died under it. He; < reported the death to the police about \ 12.30 on the afternoon of the 6th. At £ that time he had not given a certificateof death, nor had he instructed anyone else to give a certificate. He told the ,j police that lie knew the cause of death,' | but that it was a matter for the coroner, '• and he -would not give a certificate'until ! the coroner had been informed. On the Thursday evening -lie und&rstood ijlidt |j there was not going to be an inquest. Until then he did not given authority ""! to bury the body. . Sergeant Rutledge said that he hsid # informed the hospital authorities that an inquest would be held. . ■ . • x ' . , The coroner: And yet the body gets *" away. x , Dr. Woodhousc: You seem to blaipe me ' for something. ■<* ■ The coroner: Yqu.gaye anfchgrjty„to • bury a body in a case which you had y already reported to the coroner, and vet got no authority back >to the ' (i , body. : • * Dr. Woodhonse: Yes. we got thority back, as T thought. We got a message from the police, which I thought to mean that there was not to be an,, ! inquest, soTgave the certificate.*"' . ' j After some further evidence had be,en ■» taken the coroner said that it seejn&r that there had been some misunderstanding. v\* The inquest was adjourned to allalv ' investigation as where certain in possession of the deceased came from.