INQUEST

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2345, 13 July 1886, Page 2

INQUEST

- Anjnquest was held at the Courthouse, Greytown, on Friday last, before H, T, ■■Sprint, District Coroner, on the body of Mary Ann'Broughan. MessrsH. Udy (Foreman), Cox, Barnard, G. Shaw, H. Kempton, and fliggins. After viewing the body, the following evidence was taken:—

' "Mr Hammerich, strarn, doposed that the deceased, Mary Ann Broughan, wa« a; housekeeper for him in the Greytown Hotel for the last eighteen months. The last time he saw, her alive was about three o'clock on Thursday'.afternoon, in the dining room: She, at that time,' told him that she wanted to leave his service, and she wished to have her wages settled so'that-she'might'.'leave by that afternoon's train. She assigned'. no reason' beyond ut wish to change her place, as she was not very well, and thought a. change would do her good. He reasoned with* her, and told her to go to her room and have a rest, and. think it over. He did not settle with her, as he did nut wish to lose her services at such a notice, She then; asked him for Preference, and told him.to get it ready. To pacify her, he sat down and wrote one out., By this time the'bus had gone, and she could not go by.trairt that afternoon. She'said she wouldwaituntilmorning. He.left her. and wont, into the kitchen where some other servants were, from whom he heard that on the night previous deceased had. gone with the girl Ticehurst to- St.. George's for somethiug, which Mr St:' George had refused to supply Mheiu. ■Upon 'hearing this,' he went back to deceased'and asked her'about what she wanted from St, George's that she required; She said it 'had nothing to do with him. ■ He then remembered that, the night previous she had written a letter.to Wellington, in which she put a shilling stamp. That • was after sho had

[returned from St. George's.'•' .He went into the garden aud remained, about half an hour, when the 000k came'-to hirn about tea. He asked -where.-. Mary was; but no one had seen her for some time. They looked for her; but could not find any trace of her. On passing the store mom, they found the door was'locked, which was very unusual, and observed that it was locked from' the. inside. He then went into the garden to try and look through the window, but found it was blocked up with paper, which had never been done before. Ha then broke the window, aud looking.in found her hanging from a beam. Pie went quickly for assistance, and they broke down the door, with an axe. They cut; the body down immediately,, but she was apparently dead, He imniediatelysent for the two doctors practising in Groytown, and in the meantime the body was carried to abed. Both.doctors arrived within five minutes. They made an examination, but found life to be extinct. He then sent for the police, Had no previous notion, of her attempting to commit suicide. He never had any reason to thin* her insane, as she had done her work as usual. He put down the act.as a sudden fit of despondency.. She had asked 1 that morning if she might go to the danca in ihe evening. He had never any .reason to speak crossly .to her, and had never done-so.: fle'knew no, reason for her despondency. By the Constable: A small parcel had arrived by the morning's mad for deceased, A medicine bottle was openod in the presence of Dr Bey and found to contain laudunuin,

Dr Smith deposed to ' having been called to see deceased, and 011. examination finding her lifeless, He al>o assisted in post mortem • examination, Found mark of stricture of a cord round the neck. There was congestion of the brain, lungs, and right side of 'heart. Liver, kidneys, and spleen wore also congested. Came to the conclusion death was caused by asphyxia as a result of hanging.

■ Dr jßey gave corroborative evidence, and also that ho treated the deceased for anaemia, which it was probable would' cause the deceased to be nervous or given to fits of desponding.. Mr St. George deposed that he had known docoased for eighteen months. She had been ajrequent customnr of his. Knowing her so well as a respectable person he had no hesitation in supplying her with any drugs she required she being in a delicate state of health. Cn the 21st April she enquired for Hi worth of laudumn for pains in the.face and teeth. Thinking a leaser quantity would do he gave her 3d worth or two' drams. Her signature was duly placed on the book for that puruose. A few mornings subsequently he was warned that she had threatened to drink the laudanum. He heard no more until the 7th of this month, when thegirl'Ticohurst came to his shop and wanted 64 worth of laudanum. He enquired whom it was for, and she hesitated. He then asked whether it for the housekeeper at Hamuierichs', and her answer was "Yes." He replied that he could not supply her (Ticehurat) as she was under the age prescribed by the Act. Eliza Snowhill. sworn, said she knew deceased by going to the hotel for her work, About two months ago she found her'in bed at nine o'clock. She looked so.ill and from the smell in the room I "thought she had been taking something that she ought not to take. Went and asked the other girls and was told she had been takingtoo much laudanum. Went to seeher again when she told me that she had taken the contents of the bottle in the dark as she could not sleep. She then went and warned Mr St George not to supply her. She had seen deceased at times very depressed, and she often wished she was dead as she was tired of her life.

This completed qhe evidence, anc" after a brief .charge by the Coroner, the jury returned the following verdict:—" That Mary Ann Broughan did, on the Bth day of _ July, 1886,, at Greytown, commit suicide while laboring under temporary insanity."