WOUND IN THROAT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 279, 22 August 1944, Page 4

WOUND IN THROAT

Woman’s Death On Way To Hospital (By Telegrapli. — Press Association.> GISBORNE, August 21. Mrs. Jean Bardwell, aged 49. died on the way to hospital as the result ,of a wound in the throat, inflicted with a razor, and her husband was admitted to hospital suffering- from a blow on the forehead. The dead woman is alleged to have attacked her husband before inflicting injuries on herself. Besides Bardwell and his wife., their son, Harold Gregg Bardwell, Wellington, and two women visitors from the South Island were in (lie house. In a statement to the police, repeated later at the inquest, which wns opened this morning by the district coroner. Mr E. L. Walton. S.M.. tlie son stated that shortly after 5 a.m. today he wns awakened by his father calling from the bedroom, which lie occupied with his wife. He met his father emerging with blood flowing from a cut on his forehead. He assisted him to the. dining-room and entered tlie bedroom, where his mother was kneeling on tlie floor with a bottle of disinfectant in her hands, and holding some fluid in her mouth. He took th” bottle from iter and called one of the visitors to holn him in "aiming, his mother, whom lie left for only a minute or two. When he returned to the bedroom he found her lying on tlie bed with a towel covering a wound ill her throa t.' and on tlie floor beside the bed was his fathers razor. Mrs. Bardwell was sent to the h.isnital. but d'ed on the way. Her husband was later sent to hospital for treatment of his inhiry. which appeared to have been caused by a blow, nnssiblv with the bottle which contained the disinfectant. The inquest was adjourned sine die. During recent months Mrs Bardwell had been suffering from a painful illness and developed a fear that it might prove more serious. She had been nursed by her husbaml.