CALLOUS ACTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 122, 25 May 1945, Page 6

CALLOUS ACTION

DEATROF A WOMAN

CORONER'S SEVERE - COMMENT v "One , feature of the case which is somewhat distressing is the callous manner in which the' witness, Steinmuller has treated the whole matter. There is a duty of members of the'public where it seems that a person is injured or dying to see that prompt and proper steps are taken and that the remains are treated with respect and decency. What Steinmuller did falls far short of that and is deserving of severe censure," said,the Coroner, Mr. W.; G. Mellish, at the conclusion of an inquest at Petone yesterday into the death of a married woman, Margaret Daisy Frew, aged 50, the mother of nine children, whose body was found on the Petone foreshore on the evening of May 4. The verdict wa,s that death was due to acute pulmonary oedema fpllowing congestive heart failure in a heart that was greatly enlarged by high blood pressure. . . m The chief witness was Alfred Tasman Steinmuller, labourer, who said that he was married and the father of two children but at present not living with his wife. He said he had known Mrs. Frew for about two years, had played cards with her, and. sometimes met her in Petone. He had met her at about 7.30 p.m. on the evening of her death as he was on his way to the Petone railway station, and they had walked together to the beach. They sat dqwn together on the beach on witness's overcoat, and Mrs. Frew also took off her overcoat. They ■ were talking about the races, and Mrs. Frew complained of not being well, and had several bouts of coughing. At one occasion she took some lollies from her bag, and after eating them said she was all right, but shortly afterwards she had another bout of coughing, vomited, and fell back. Witness attempted to hold her up, but she fell back and did not reply when he spoke to her. He then realised she was dead, so he covered her with her coat, pulled his own coat from .beneath her, and went- off to the railway station. He was shocked because he knew the deceased was married and he himself was married. He told an official at the railway station that he had seen a woman on the beach who appeared to be dead, and then caught the 9.15 train to Wellington. To Senior-Sergeant H. Campagnola, witness said he had been interviewed that night in Wellington by Sergeant Lefort, and had made the same statement as he did to the railway official, that he had seen a woman who appeared to be dead. He had also said that he. did not know the woman. Senior-Sergeant Campagnola: You know that the police were not satis-' fied with that statement and that you were later interviewed by Detective Hedwig? , . '■'■',"■ Witness: Yes. , That was later that night—at midnight?— Yes. - ■ And not until then did you give the correct story?— Yes. I told the detective then. - That the first statement you had made was a. lot of lies and that the second, one was correct? —Yes. You know where the Frews live and you had to pass near on your way.to the railway station? —Yes. Why didn't you go to her home and tell them that the unfortunate woman was in difficulties?—l had the wind up. I thought I'd be had up for .murder ■and I didn't want to be involved. You were not certain when you went to the station whether she was dead or not from what you told the railway clerk? —I thought she was. You didn't think it was your place to see that she was attended to when she was in difficulties?— Yes, I admit that. You just walked away and didn't interest yourself in what happened to her?— Yes I did, I told the stationmaster. And even when interviewed by the police hours afterwards you made a false statement? —Yes, I made a false statement. Stanley William Frew, factory hand, husband of the deceased, said his wife had had nine children, the youngest of .whom was 11 years.old. She had left home at about; seven o'clock on the evening of her death to pay the rent and some accounts, and seemed in good health and spirits. ■ ■ Dr. William Stewart Alexander, assistant pathologist at the Wellington ■ Public Hospital, gave the medical evidence upon which the verdict was based. ■ . . .