TRAGIC DEATH.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18140, 3 October 1930, Page 7

TRAGIC DEATH.

TE AROHA RESIDENT.

dramatic scenes at inquest.

WOMAN WITNESS COLLAPSES. Dramatic scenes marked the close of the adjourned inquest at the Te Aroha Court to-day into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of George Arthur Bush, aged 50, one of Te Aroha’s best-known citizens. It will be remembered that the lifeless body of Mr Bush was found early in the morning of September 14 in a two-seater car owned by Mrs Houghton, a professional nurse, who had left it outside the Norana Private Hospital the previous evening. Owing to the fact that deceased was secretary of the Te Aroha Placing and Trotting Clubs, the Thames Valley Agricultural and Pastoral Association and the Te Aroha Building Society he was one of the most prominent figures in this part of the province. The finding of his body in such circumstances caused a sensation throughout the district at the time, and conjecture was rife as to the cause of his death. At the conclusion of the inquiry Mrs Haughton, who had been giving evidence, dramatically demanded that the whole of the contents of a letter which deceased had written addressed to her and found in the oar be read and not merely extracts from it. She later went into a fit of hysteria and had to be escorted from the Court. The evidence of the Government analyst; disclosed that the stomach contained alkaline cyanide.

Wife’s Evidence. The evidence of deceased’s wife, Adeline Muriel Bush, was to the effect that she was aware of the friendliness existing between her husband and Nurse Haughton. Her husband had seemed worried for a long time, but had never spoken of any financial troubles. He had never threatened suicide. He left about 8.30 on the Saturday morning as usual, remarking that he would not be home to lunch or tea. She did not see him again. Dr. W. W. Main stated that he found deceased sitting in the car with one hand on the wheel and the other in his pocket. Near the oar was a soda water bottle which smelled of whisky, and which the analyst said might have contained cyanide. The police evidence, led by Inspector Eccles, of Hamilton, who conducted the inquiry, was to the effect that lying on the seat of the car beside the body was a brown paper parcel ,containing a number of books and documents relating to Nurse Haughton s private affairs, together with a diary, the last entry of which was:

“This Is tho day of my orisls. I am praying tli-i ail that I haye to lovo and live for will come and save me. Also written on the parcel were the words: “Bring one in and put one out.” “ I am off— Good-bye.” Diary Jean Haughton said in evidence that sue nad known Bush about two years. Inspector Eccles: I do not desire to hurt your feelings any more than necessary. Witness: You cannot hurt them any more than they have already been hurt. Replying to the inspector she said she and Bush had been on friendly terms for about 18 months. On the night of the 13 th she was on duty at the hospital, when she was called to the phone. Bush said: “I am just off—Good-bye.” She replied: “All right, good-bye; I’m busy just now,” and rang off. She said she last saw deceased on the previous Saturday at his office, where she went in response to a telephone message. As she entered he closed the door after her. He appeared to have been drinking. The Inspector: Did he say anything to you apart from the business matter on which you visited him?—Yes, he made improper suggestions, which I resented. The Inspector: Did he touch you at all? —Yes, and I threatened to call the police. I then left.

“ Only a Joke.” Asked if Bush had ever shown any suicidal tendencies, witness cited three occasions when he had threatened to take his life. The first was on the eve of the last Te Aroha race meeting, at his office. He had phoned her, and while she was speaking to him he made some remark about suicide, and then discharged a revolver, to convey the impression that he had shot himself. A few minutes later he telephoned to say that it was only a joke, and he was only fooling. On a later occasion he attempted to commit suicide in her presence by drinking poison from a glass which she dashed from his hand and smashed. He told her his home life was very miserable and unhappy. He had frequently said life was not worth living. A Third Time The third occasion was several months ago at his office, when he again showed her a draught containing a liquid which he said was poison and when witness threatened to inform the police he said, he would throw all the poison away. Between September 6 and 13 he phoned her and asked her to overlook his conduct of the previous Saturday. She told him she wanted nothing more to do with him. Asked by the Inspector, witness said no poisons were kept at the hospital. The Vital Letter. On the Inspector producing the letter found on the seat of the car, the coroner (Mr J. Motley) said there was no need to read it, as it contained certain references to a member of deceased’s family which should not be published. Inspector Eccles said the letter had a direct bearing on the cause of death and he thought in the interests of justice it should be read. The coroner ruled that only the references to the actual cause of death would be necessary. Nurse Haughton: If a member of the family is going to be protected, why not me? Why should I take all the blame? The Inspector assured her that the last thing In his mind was to cause her any worry. Witness: Well the reporters are talcing it ail down. The Inspector (to the coroner): The letter should be read. It will help to clear up the position so far as the police are concerned. Witness: If you are going to publish anything at all, publish the lot. (Continued in next column.)

Mr Gilchrist, on behalf of deceased’s relations, .said lie saw no necessity for reading the letter. The Inspector quoted two phrases from the letter which read: “You do not seem to want me any more; I know it’s my fault,” and, “There is nothing left for me now, but to go.” Witness: lie had his troubles at home. Why put all the blame on me? Witness declared with emphasis that if the coroner would not allow the whole letter to be read there were other means of getting it published. This concluded the evidence. While the coroner was delivering his verdict to the effect “that deceased committed suicide on September 14 while temporarily insane, by taking alkaline cyanide,” Nurse Haughlon broke into violent sobs and was then seized with a fit of hysteria and had to be carried out of the court.