MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1922, Page 7

MELBOURNE TRAGEDY.

DROWNED IN A BATH.

MOTHER AND INFANT.

A tragedy, possessing unusually pathetic features, occurred at Oakleigh, when a mother drowned herself and her eight weeks old baby in a bath, says a Melbourne paper. The victims were Mrs. Florence Annie Brennan, 30 years, and Alma Annie Brennan, 8 weeks old.

The scene of the fatality is a nicely furnished seven-rOomed house at North Road, (about jthree-lquartdrs of a mile from the township. There the deceased woman lived with her husband, George Fawkner Brennan —a plasterer, who is engaged in contracting work — and three children—George, aged seven, Delta, aged three, and the baby. Since the birth of the last-mentioned child, Mrs. Brennan’s health had not been satisfactory, and she had been under medical treatment. At 10 a.m. Mr. Brennan, accompanied by his other daughter, left the house with the intention of seeing Dr. F. D. Donovan, of Murrumbeena, and asking him to visit Mrs. Brennan. The doctor, however, was not at home, and the husband returned to his home about 11 o’clock. On entering the house he noticed that the baby’s perambulator was empty, and that all was silent. As this was unusual, he called to his wife, but received no response. Walking down the passage with his little daughter, he was amazed to find water trickling from beneath the bathroom door. As he entered the bathroom a terrible sight presented itself. In the bath, which was overflowing with water, lay his wife, fully dressed, and clasped in her arms was the baby girl, both apparently dead. The trickling of the tap broke the silence. He immediately hurried Delta from the tragic sight and rushed her into a neighbor’s house. Dr. Brown arrived shortly afterwards and saw at once that the baby was dead. He held out hopes, however, for the mother, and resuscitation measures were taken. At 11.50 Constable J. D. Milne arrived on the scene, and assisted Dr. Brown in his endeavors to restore life. For nearly an hour they worked, but without result. In an adjoining room a pathetic note, written in pencil by the dead woman, was found. It read: “Dear George, My Dear Husband. — Just a hurried line to say that I am doing this, so as you will not have doctors’* and chemists’ bills all my life. Tell Herb, (a brother) and Doris not to let it make any difference to them on Saturday. My case is just the same, as my poor mother's was, when she first commenced to feel ill. I can’t go on for years like this. Don’t forget George’s insurance, and keep it paid up, as it will be paid when George is 16 years old. Give my love to all the family and tell them to look after my children. Good-bye, dear George, George, Delta. “From your loving wife, “Florrie.”

<T.S.—-Always look after your children. I have made out my account at the bank for you to draw out." Mr. and Mrs. Brennan lived for many years at Oakleigh. and earned the highest respect of the residents in the locality. Mrs. Brennan was of a rather reserved disposition. The ston, George, who is referred to in the note, was at school when the tragedy happened.

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