DEATH OF A WOMAN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 25, 10 November 1930, Page 6

DEATH OF A WOMAN

WINCHMORE FATALITY.

CORONER’S STRONG COMMENT.

WITNESS CLOSELY EXAMINED

“The evidence has disclosed that a rather deplorable state of things existed. The deceased ‘ sacrificed lier own life and probably that of another. It is a case where Nature lias punished interference with the course of affairs. The evidence of the witness, Mills, while quite frank on this occasion, was most discreditable. Not content with purchasing instruments and drugs, and being warned against another instrument, lie then offered Ins personal services in an attempt to bring about a certain result. lam perfectly satisfied that lie knew all that was going on.”

With these words tlie District Coroner (Mr R, Clark) delivered his verdict this morning in the resumed inquest into the circumstances of the death of Mrs Norali Eveline Forgeson, aged 30, who was employed as housekeeper to Mr W. J. Smith, at Winchmore, and who was found dead in her bedroom late on the afternoon of October 16. / „ .

Senior-Sergeant H. Martin • conducted the proceedings for the police and Mr L. A. Charles watched tlie proceedings on behalf of Mr Ernest Janies Mills. Mr H. F. Forgeson, husband of deceased, was also present.

The Medical Evidence. Dr. N. E- H. Fulton said that on October 16 he was called to the residence of Mr Smith, at Winchmore, and arrived about 7.30 p.m. He saw the body of Mrs Forgeson lying on the floor beside the bed. She was blue in the face, and her knees were drawn up. She was fully clothed. On the floor lie side her was a syringe (produced). A jug of water had been capsized under the sofa. The limbs were cold. The pupils of the eyes were dilated, and rigor mortis was present in the legs but not in the arms.* There ,was a mucous discharge from nose and mouth. The following day witness held a postmortem examination' at the morgue, being assisted by Dr. Ryburn. He found’that the body was that of a middle-aged obese female. There was no sign of injury. There were evidences of long-standing chronic pleurisy. The lungs were congested, the heart normal but distended on the right side. She had been pregnant about three and a-half months. The pelvic veins contained numerous air bubbles. In his opinion, death was due to air embolism interfering with the circulation of the blood. The air had got into the veins, being injected in

a certain way, and could have been in-

jected by the syringe produced. Deceased could have operated the syringe herself. The cause of death was a very rare one. Witness (kept some of the organs of the body in order to have them analysed because of the rarity, of the cause of tlie death. These organs, however, had' been inadvertently destroyed. To the Coroner; He bad intended to .send the organs away for a report tor bis own information. He saw no other instrument in the room where the body was lying. The organs were left

in the morgue for a nurse to deal with, but, unfortunately, the Matron ol tlie Hospital came along and destroyed them. ml To the Senior-Sergeant: Tlie syringe produced could 1 be used _ for tlie puipose of bringing on a nuscari iage. Employer Gives Evidence. William James Smith, farmer, of Winchmore, said he engaged Mrs Forgeson on March 17 last, under the name of Mrs Carlyle. He had received a letter for her under tlie name o Forgeson. She told witness not to tell his children that that was her name. Deceased used to go out on i. uiiday niohts. Mills used to-come to see her. Witness frequently went to bed and left deceased sitting up sometimes with the children and sometimes with Mills. Witness was not aware that she was in a certain condition. She had given notice to leave on October 24, saying she was going to) her mother m the North Island. On the day ol to death, witness was home for lunch between noon and 1 p.m-, and ltit shortly after 1 p.m. to plough in a nearby paddock. Deceased was in lie usual good health when lie left the house. On his return at the end el the day he was told by the children that they had not seen Mrs Foigeson. Witness went to her room and receiving no reply to Ins knock, went m. He found her lying dead on the flooi, and then went and telephoned, lor a doctor and for the police. He knew about the syringe produced He sa it lying on the floor near the bodyTo tlie Coroner: Deceased bad neve complained to witness of sick headaches She had always appealed to h. i„ good health. When Mills Mrs Forgeson witness would often „o to bed and tlie children would also go Kprl leaving Mills and Mrs L'orge-

°Keith* John Smith, son of the previous witness, said that Mrs Eoi'geSoi did her ordinary housework on the u.y of her death. During the afternoon, when witness went to the house fen a drink, he saw Mrs Forgeson s ttnm in the sun reading. She walked to the gate with witness and later went back to the house. Witness dul not see her again. He went to the house ■ 3.40 p.m., but did not see her. She often had a sleep during the afternoon, and he did not think her absence unusual. Witness did not see anyone enter the house during the afteinoon. Witness’s father had been out in the paddock ploughing all the afternoon. 1 To the Coroner: Witness, had seen Mills at the house. Sometimes lie stayed up with Mills and Airs Forgeson when his father had gone to bed, and sometimes he did not. Purchases by Witness. The Senior-Sergeant said that, some- - -• • 1 4-hn li /-v r» »>lll rv r*T

thing having come to the hearing or the police, it was proposed to call Mills again. He had given evidence at the opening of the inquest. Ernest James Mills, aged 21, a farm labourer, employed by AA illiani Piebble, Winch more, said that Airs Forgeson had been known to. him for about six months. Ho knew her by the name of Carlvle. He would maintain that he had‘never called at the house when Mrs Forgeson was by herself. There

had always been someone else there. He had frequently been there after the others had gone to bed. There was always somebody in the house. The Coroner: That is a. contradiction of vour previous statement. Witness added that lie know deceased had two children. He became friendly with her, and intimacy took place. Witness knew of her condition. Witness was aware, after that, that si t,e went to Christchurch to. celebrute the birthday of one of her children. She came back with tw r o

instruments, which she said she had list'd for a certain purpose. Continuing, witness said that deceased did not definitely state what tlie instruments were for, but she gave him to understand that they were to procure miscarriage. The syringe produced was purchased by witness Irom an Ashburton chemist. Mrs Forgeson asked' him to get it for her. He paid for it, and she refunded the money. Prior to that he had procured pills for her, for which she paid. Later, she requested him to procure a certain instrument hut the chemist to whom lie wrote replied that it was dangerous to have in his (witness’s) .possession and it would be well to leave it alone, which witness did. He knew that <leceasecK had previously tried to bring about a miscarriage. Then, when all her efforts had failed, she told witness that she would go to her home. Later, she said she had read of a case where air was injected for a certain purpose. Witness had offered to assist deceased. He saw her the night before her death, at Smith’s house. He was aware that she intended to leave her employment. The Coroner: You knew what the instrument was for ? Witness: Yes.

The Coroner; And you were going to help her all you could to procure miscarriage ? Witness: I did not know exactly what was to be done. The Coroner: That is not a clear and satisfactory answer. Tell us quite frankly ail about it? Witness: I did not know of her condition till after I obtained the goods. “A Mysterious Person.”

The Coroner; When you were in the box last time, you said something about some mysterious person-, and you were asked if there was any other person with whom she was on terms of friendship. You were extremely reticent, were you not? Witness; Well, yes, I w r as. The Coroner: You made out that you went up to Smith’s house purely out of friendship. Witness: Yes.

The Coroner: And you were not frank about it, were you? That is all right! Constable T. W. Round said that lie visited tlie scene of Airs Forgeson’s death. He saw the body lying between the bed and the window. The instrument produced was lying near the body. Appearances indicated that the woman: had died in pain. No note indicating intention to commit suicide was found. Several letters were later found in the room, showing that correspondence had been carried l on between Mrs Forgeson and Mills. The Coroner returned 1 a verdict that deceased met lier death on October 16, death being due to air embolism, interfering with the circulation of the blood.