A GIRL AND PHOSPHORUS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 504, 11 May 1909, Page 6

A GIRL AND PHOSPHORUS.

HER REASON FOR. TAKING POISON. (BT TEH6QEAFH—PHEBS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, May 10. An inquiry into the death of a 14-year-old• girl, named Elizabeth Lucy Greenwood, who - died at her parents' residence at Panmura ' on' April 29,' was hold to-day. ' William, Joseph Greenwood, father'of tho ■■ deceased girl, stated that ho was a farmer , residing at Panmurc. From April 18 up_to . April 29 he was away from 'homo looking after some property at Epsom. On tbo 29th he'was told of his daughter's death. Ho had been married a Bocond time; and' hiß wife was looking after tho homo during his, .absence.. His present wife and deceased scorned to get ou .very weir together. . Tho girl was fourteen years old last Sep- - , tember, and she had to "attend the Supremo: Court in conncction wit|j a caso of assault upon her. To this fact witness attributed the deceased's act, of taking poison, which caused her death. . ' ■ ' , . ; Mabel Greenwood, wife of. the previous witness, stated that she was with her - daughter on April 29. Deceased had been living at home with' her 'for two or thrco months, and they agrood. very well .together. : On April 23 witness went into Auckland, and left deceased with her uncle, Alfred Heslop. When witness , returned the girl was not at home, but she camo in twenty , minutes' later, arid changed hor clothes.' . Witness said: '!You are' a naughty, deceit: ful giri, arid I will tell your'father.'' After that she was sulky and .would not speak. Next, day .(Sunday) fitness searched de- ■ . coased's room, and, under the bed. she 'found somo bread arid jam and a bottle labelled "Poison." Its oontonts looked liko' phosphorus.: The bread sho threw into tho lire,. and the bottle and its contents -she handed later - on to Constable Shorman. ; . Whon deceased came ; in that evening blio told witness that sho had taken poison. When asked phy she had done so deceased replied, "Because, you told dad that I .was , a ,naughty girl; and • I wasV not 1 going '■•; to' stand "that again."; When witness askod licr V to come and have some tea; she sijid that' she was sick, and, afterwards, she, wis vom- \ iting in the yard. Witness then 1 gave her milk to drink. .On tho Monday deceased was moving about, and,,'on Tuesday, wit- , ness went to Auckland, tolling her uncle to look after her, and give her all the milk sho . could drink. Witness 'went to tho Rescuo ' Home in Panicll, as sho thought it would bo the best placo for her to go to. Sho did not see deceased again until Wednesday, morning, and she then appeaj-od to bo talk- • ing nonsense. Prior to this the girl 6eemod to have boon worrying abont' tho case which was to come before tho Supremo Court. Sho; said that tho last ; time .sno 'went , into the Court • sho" had had a terrible tiino. : Sho ! said that she could riot stand a certain' law-' yer., at. any pricer-ho broko her up 1 every .. time, . and' ■ .mado rher • say' things that she never meant to say. Witness .took milk-upstnirs for' the girl to drink on Wednesday, and sho was then delirous. Sho also took soino cornflour. On; \ Wednesday ..she, did riot got out of bed all day, but, in tlio'oyening, ' appeared better. ; On. Thureday -morning at ton o'clock wit-. ness again wont up to see. tho girl. She ato ; some pomdgp^'ari'd. milk, and also,, asked for • some scones.' yWitriess did riot send for .a, doctor, as. the girl appeared to bo, getting better. ..'jit'. 10.80, ..Constable. .Sliennan.'ar-'; rivod, iind;V after Seeing. tho". girl, I said thaV ho would go for a doctor. Dr. Barber' rev turned with him in half an hour. This do<> tor said that tho girl was riot sullririg, but. ,that .sho,,was in a „very bad condition. •, At' eleven o'clock tko .girl, died.] .Witness had; not thought that it was neccssa.p' tor send for a doctor; although the girl had tola her that sho taken ; poison.' She thought; that she. was shamming. • . Alfred undo, of deceased's stepmother, . abated that ho took .food to , deceased, but saw nothing to cause him to; think' that there.' , was . anything wrong witM .

the girl. , V......, . , ' Lucrotia Pyo, a companion: of .deceased,. stated,that, the latter slept, lritli lier on tho; night of April 24, and stated,that she did.' not go homo as sho was afraid of'hor father. . ;"gn>wlinjft' .at-her..' Sho told witness that' sho had taken romo jioison,. .but, that sho would not . do! so , again—it' was;/ "awful stuff." Sho had. told', witness a month previously that: slio, intended \to take poison. Witness did not .tell her mother; what deceased had told her, because' she did not think that sho had actually taken' poison. ' A baker's'assistant,'who ,delivered bread . at Greenwood's,, stated that, about a month, •ago, deceased told him that'sho had a good' mind-to do away with herself as lier friends,' • '. were.all against.her., , Dr. Barber stated that, when ho arrived' !at the ~Greenwood's repdenoo,'on April' 29, . ho found deceased lying in an upstairs room. Sho was unconscious: aiid pulseless,' and was breathing in ,short gasps. ' Although" restoratives were applied, tho girl expired. , in ten miiiutcs. Had ho boon called in' within. 24 hours pf..tho taking.'of tlio poison ho might have been iablq to have dono some-; • thing. : Ho was of opinion .thaat death was caused by eating, paste which" contained phosphorus.. / ; : Tho jury 'returned a veTdict of dcatii from phosphorus : . feelf-administorod, and expressed an opinion" that Mi error of judgment had been committed in not sending for a medical man sooner. .