THE MASTERTON TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10171, 22 February 1911, Page 5

THE MASTERTON TRAGEDY.

DETAILS OF THE CRIME,

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. A' proioimd sensation was caused in Masterton yesterday morning, when it became known, through the columns of the Aye. that a terrible tragedy had ' been enacted in the very heart of the town. The whole community seemed shocked, and the horrifying details of the gruesome affair caused men and women to shudder. Much sympathy was expressed for the relatives and friends of the deceased lady, who had apparently been in a, despondent • state of mind for ,somo time.

THE CHILD VICTIMS. After the Age went' to press on - Tuesday morning-, the lad Gerald, whose wounds had been dressed at Mr Winzcuberg's house, was found to have sustained more serious injuries than was at first supposed, and he was also removed to the Hospital. At 1.30 o'clock this, (Wednesday) morning, the lad showed some signs of improvement, but the condition of the unfortunate little girl was still uncertain. There was just a slight hope that she might recover.

THE INQUEST.

VERDICT OF SUICIDE WHILE INSANE.

An inquest concerning the death of Kate Adclfe Gardiner, .who was found drownrd iu Masterton at an pearlyhour yesterday morning,; .was held at the residence of .Misf Alice -IGfardiner in the afternoon/ before .the'-' District Coroner, Mr J.-.T. M. Hprnsby^V; Constable Samuel Brown stated that at ahout 2.10 a.m. lie was. among the search party searching for .deceased, when they came, across the'..body lying face downv/ards under a small bridge over a. creek,' passing under Essex Street. The water.■ was about, seven or eight-inches itfdepthv:'=The woman' was in her "\ .After >the body was, from' the cr<eek, to the roadside; Bird; and Vitr ness tried to restore animation 'by } artificial ;.respiration^'vJbut ■ without ' avail. Dr. Cook wlibwaslsummonedy; pronounced life extinct. ■Witness then assisted *o convey the/body Mto .the morgue. ; ' \ .•>;\ .• ■' : :' '' :■/ 'f. -i : :'{^% £.■■>'■•.<:»;"'. .:• Dr. Cook statgd';;that'hiev\vas:Sia]led-. at about 2^O^ye^orSay' : ...! v fiqrii I mg , ':..t6 Essex Street, and;on arrival he*found the body of deceased lying bid the roadside near the creek. On examination witness found life to be extinct. There were several wounds on the head, one a bruise in the middle of the forehead; a small contused wound;on the left eyebrow,, and contused wound \ head; There was also an.incised ■wound on side ofythu" chesty going as deep 'as the ribs? The wountl on the had .evidently been cabsed by a sharp; instrument.: x. ;,-';:'

. Dr.-Gowie stated ihat he" knew de-, ceased, and had attended her, and her children bff'axid on during the ipast year;: Witness last saw her on the 6tlT inst. At that time.- ; she consulted/witness about one »of her children, ; and ; s about( on*-Mier t 'own, v !■ ' a W , W never; ?ha<? any. %spicion of, mental in bhe„ had »l^':TOj?B«P;4lp]pii^:rßin^;hiiir;■■' depth abputa-iyear ago, and evidently JII6 shock was rather severe v on her. She [appealed to I be contented ■ with her' surroundings, and was jery fond of her children and anxious tfor their welfare,,, Her; health , was ; better, v and she: latterly ■•■ than when" she^first came:to?Master- - ton, ..;■ , ~>?v>, '^;.'?v-V'.rv-/;^.■-:■';■ y-Frances Winzenberg, :wife of Albert residing nearly opposite deceased's house, stated that: she saw' deceased ? shaking mats;at her -door; at about ■ • eleven o'clpck'-'dn,'-'Monday; morning, i; .Witness nodded to! her,'' and she responded,, appearing to'be in her usual >■'.' ■health. ; On Sunday'week; the 12th' mst., ;witiiess walked up/from>church r with her and she seemed quite, bright. The children, were often" in at wit-" ness' house. ''■•";»'• .' , - ■■■■.' .-''■'.. ;■•... ■ - ' . ' ■ '' '■ ■ Alice Mary Gardiner, : sister-in-law of filie. deceased, deposed .that •\ T as livin S in 'Essex Street with her,(witness)' sister. ; ' Witness stated that she was manager' of/.the firm of Gardiner and Sons, timber merchants, and her sister kept house &, r he r- Her ar est, brother Jived at Eketahuna and expected lo arrive in Masterton by. 'the late train that night. Witness' brother Hector, who >■■' died a year ago, was s of the '• deceased. Deceased was,34 years of age, and had ho -financial worry whatever. They were all on friendly terms. Witness had had her house full of visitors during' show-' week, and had not seen deceased to speak ,to for about a week; The children were constantly, in and out of witness' house. in the house on Monday morning and took' some' flowers for their mother. Witness sent messages . to the decease! by the children,' asking her to come over, but she aopeared not to like com ins while there were visitors about. SM s&nt hack an answer that she was too busy with her housework. Deceased was very particular about- her house. Witness asked her to go to the show.with her, but she sent the'cHMren and stated that she .wollld.trv "-.id come Intel' on herself. Deceased a ftowards told witness that" she had started; to >o.''hut' findim?:; it too far, had turned hack. On Friday last dec-eased asked witness to go over'to her house to t<%, but..witness' could not go because, sho-was inst nreDaring tea for the visitors. On the following night debased did not come to tea when invited. She .was again ;asked through the children to come oyer on Sundav mVht. but she did pqfrcoma. -Witness saw the children' again on Monday mornino-. The latter'came for some flowers. Deceased had arranged for a voung lady to come and live with her. but she said she preferred to have the house to herself. • ;.... --■-

Aileen Thompson, a child ten years of age, daughter of Mr T. J. Thompson, stated that she was playing with the Gardiner children after school on Monday. Witness noticed that Mrs Gardiner had a red lump on her forehead. Elizabeth Woodward, widow, residing in' Essex Street, next door to the house that was ocqupied by the deceased, said she saw the latter between seven and eight o'clock on Monday night pulling down the blinds and closing the windows. Witness noticed nothing unusual about her, but she always considered deceased to be very reserved. Gertrude Ernestina May Brown,' •daughter of Mr Richard Brown, residing ih Essex Street almost opposite the house of deceased, stated that she, knew deceased, and the children were often at witness' house. Deceased herself had visited witness on two occasions. Deceased was very much devoted to her children, particularly the girl, ■ whom she worried about. Deceased's manner was extremely reserved. Albert Edward Winzenberg, a resident of Essex Street, gave evidence '" as to having heard at about 12.45 o'clock yesterday morning a boy screaming, out for witness and his wife to come quick because Beryll was be-, ing knocked about. Witness''jumped up and went towards the window, but the voice was on the other side of the house then, crying, "Do come quick." Witness put on a few clothes and went to the other side of the house, but the boy had again gone to the window where he first heard him. He made a rush for the window, but the boy was gone by the time he got it*partly open. Witness told the boy he would he j there soon. 'He recognised the voice. Shortly after the voice was heard in the distance over at Mrs Gardiner's house. Witness went; to'the front door, •of his house and threw it open, when he saw Miss Fanny Gardiner and the boy standing together. The boy was in a terrible state, being covered with blood, antj witness could not get him to make any statement. As far as could be understood he wanted \ someone to 1 see what had happened to Bery 11. By the dim light witness could not see very clearly. Witness told Miss Gardiner to go to Mr •R. Brown's -'house and ring for a doctor and the police. Witness at the same time went to his own house and got a candle and matches.' He met Miss Gardiner on the way back, and they went into the room together and they saw the little girl lying in a pool of blood in the bed. Witness could not get the gas to light until he had found the meter. They searched in the' other rooms, but could not find Mrs Gardiner. On going into the dining room witness noticed the door partly open, and there was blood on the handle. He, then went to Mr Brown's house, where, there seemed some difficulty in getting the people who were wanted. Dr. Cowie arrived shortly after, and went into the house straight away. When Dr. Hosking arrived, \he two doctors took the children to the hospital. Witness next saw the body of Mrs Gardiner lying near the water table at about 2.15 o'clock. Deceased . seemed much brighter recently than she was some time ago. "

Dr. Cowie.i re-called, gave evidence concerning the' injuries to the little girl. She had a large wound about three inches long over the left eye.] The skull was fractured in several places. The child was still alive, and the bleeding had stopped. . Witness'i let her lie where she was and sent. for assistance and the ambulance wag- J gon, and inquired "if the police had I been communicated with; When Dr. Hosking arrived lie examined the ] child with' witness, and they applied a; temporary dressing, after which they took'her to the hospital. Before doing so, however, witness examined the boy, who had several rather severe wounds on the scalp. He was also conveyed to the hospital. Sergeant Miller stated-that he arrived at th'e house just'as the doctors were taking; the children to the hospital. After looking through the 1 house with Messrs Brown and Winzenberg. a party went down the road searching for deceased. Witness cor* Constable Brown's evidence with regard to the finding of the body. Witness looked through the house later.in the morning,, and found V letter in a drawer in the bedroom in 'which the girl was found. Witness also found a bottle marked "poison" quite fqll of.- camphorated chloroform, which is l generally.used for toothache. Mr T. J, Thompson also assisted in the search for deceased.

;■." The Coroner stated that from the evidence given he had no doubt that the act of injuring the -eliildrett was committed while; decea'sed was suffering;; from mental derangement. It was^a peculiarity with insane people that they went so much agaittst those , whom they, had loved the most.'. There :was every reason to, believe that the deceased woman was '■• passionately l ■fond of herelittdfen. She was a lonely woman, and it was evident that the fit came suddenly' upon herl Up. to. Saturday she/ had appeared to be all; right, ; but since then the evidence was not very,clear, as to her condition. The fit, must have come on lier some time between Sunday and the time" of the commission of the deed. ; A verdict of suicide while insane was returned.-