COLERAINE TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 131, 4 June 1901, Page 5

COLERAINE TRAGEDY.

X- ' A DEMENTED MOTHER,

te FORCES FIVE CHILDREN TO fl SWALLOW POISON.

* THEN DROWNS HERSELF.

MELBOURNE, May 24.

An arwfttl domestic tragedy happened Ut Coleraine last night, when Mrs Day, wife of James Day, manager "of the local butter factory, forced all her children, five in number, to swallow poison. The demented woman then drowned herself in a tank in the yard. Pour of the unhappy children succumbed to the effects of the poison, and the fifth is in a serious state.

At the . inquest, the eldest boy, James, aged 11, who is the only survivor, and a servant were the chief witnesses. The former, who had to be carried in by a constable, told the story of the tragedy from beginning to end.

"Last Saturday," he said, "mother gave us medicine, which she took from on envelope, and partook of some herself. On Thursday we all had some more medicine, which brought on vomiting. I had to stay in bed all next day, suffering from pain. On each occasion mother gave us lollies lo take away the nasty taste. Yesterday evening (meaning Friday) mother sent Nellie (the servant) out to post letters, and she was going to give us medicine again. She emptied some reddish powder out of an envelope, and gave us medicine in a spoon with sugar. She |took some herself. As soon as we swallowed the powder we were all in terrible pain. Mother walked about the Toom, saying 'My dear children,' and repeating the sentence manytimes. Donald was the first to fall back on his bed and die. Mother went over to the body and exclaimed *He is done for.' Little Keith, my baby brother, was in great agony for a few minutes and then died. Lawla, Norman and myself were all together on one bed, and in fearful pain. Lawla tried. to get. out of bed and walk about, but she could not stand up, and had to lie where she was. Then Norman stiffened out and died. Lawla expired just as the doctor came into the room. As soon as I had called out for Nellie, who had returned from the post, mother ran out of the room, first of all burning the envelope in which tbe powder was." The servant, Nellie, said the children were vomiting on the previous Sunday. Mrs Day explained at tbe time that she had given them some liquorice powder. On Friday, when the children again vomited, she put it down to food they had eaten. When witness returned from posting letters the same night she asked Mrs Day if she could do anything for her, but was told to go to bed. Mrs Day gave this order very sharply. When witness heard screams she rushed to the bedroom, and found the door bloqked by a cot drawn up against it. Witness forced the cot away and entered the room, only to discover that two of the children were dead, and another apparently dying. She asked Mrs Day What she had done, and she replied, "I have not done them any harm. I have done them good." Witness did not waste time, but ran away for assistance.

The police evidence showed that Mrs Day's body was not found till daylight on Saturday, and then only by feeling in a tank with a stick. The aperture through which tbe woman forced herself was just large enough to admit her body.

The jury found that the children flied from the effects of poison administered by their mother whilst of unsound mind, and Mrs Day committed suicide. There was no evidence to •how how deceased came by the poison.