FIANCE WEPT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 9

FIANCE WEPT.

DURING INQUEST.

GIRL TOOK OWN LIFE.

LOVERS' QUARREL SEQUEL (Special.—By Air Mail.) LONDONDERRY, August 24. Alan MacCombie, fiance of 26-year-old Elizabeth Haslett, sportswoman and leader of Londonderry's your.jrer set, wept as an inquest jury decided that she poisoned herself the day she received his letter breaking their engagement. With eyes and voice lowered, he gave this evidence: "I had been keeping company with Miss Haslett for about two years and were engaged to be married. We were preparing a house and had bought some furniture. "We got on happily together till Thursday night. Before going to see her I had a couple of drinks with some friends. When I was going home she made some reference to the smell of drink on me. We had a quarrel. "I had promised to see her on Saturday night. The next day (Friday) I wrote a letter saying I would not see her on Saturday, and that I was convinced she would be better without me." White Package. Miss Haslett's brother. Alex, said that when hi-* sister received MaeCombe's letter she seemed heartbroken and worried. He added: '"I went with her into town . . . and !she said she would commit suicide. I jkept with her and *he went into a !butcher's shop and two chemists', but 'I could not see anything she might | have l>ouf»ht. j "Fifteen minutes after we came home she held out her hand, showed me a small white package, and said, 'I am [going to do it. This is poison.'

"Don't Be Slly. w "I did not believe her, and said, Don't be silly.' "She went upstairs, and later she called me and rang the bell in her bedroom. I ran upstairs and found her bedroom door locked. She said, 'Come inside. The door is locked. I have taken the stuff.' "I burst the door open and saw her lying dressed on the bed, writhing with pain." Dr. R. W. Cunningham said that Miss Haslett told him she had taken the poison with minced meat. Later Alan MscCombe attended Miss Haslett's funeral at Derry Cemetery. He sent a wreath of red carnations.