INQUEST.

Evening Star, Issue 12871, 21 July 1906, Page 8

INQUEST.

At the inquest held at Lawrence yesterday touching 1 the death df Lizzie Paterson, of South Dunedin, who had been on a visit to some friends there, James Robertson, farmer; with whom deceased had been staying for the past four weeks, deposed that he last saw her alive, about 4.15 p.m. on Tuesday, 17th inst, when she was about to leave has place to do some shopping. He nodded to her in recognition, and she nodded in return. While deceased was staying in his house she was always bright-and cheerful, and was one of tlte pleasantest young women he had ever met. When she did hot come Wu° ea seven o’clock witness asked what had become of Lizzie, and was told by erne of his family that she had gone over to his son Fred’s place. Next marnmg, about pine o’clock, he asked his son’s W r lizzie Patensdn was up yet. and the reply the former gave was that Lizzie had not stayed overnight with them. Witness then made inquiries in various directions as to deceased’s movements, and' later on went to the police and gave information 33 t0 u “ er disappearance. He kept up the Sea f C instatuted inquiries continuously all the day mid well into Wednesday mght, but got no clue as to her movements, —lb Sergeant Hoggins ; As far as witness knew, deoeaised was not subject to fits, nor had she any ailment that would cause her to buy carbolic aoxd to give relief. Deceased had no disagreement or unpkasuntness m any way with any of bis household, and be could assign no reason for her buying poison to do away with herself. He “f’dcrstood that deceased had not been in the best of health for some time, and that she came on a visit to Lawrence for the benefit of the change. jnn., gave evidence as to the finding of the body in the Lawrence Cemetery, he having been, one of the search party.

Elizabeth Inrimer deposed that she saw deceased along the Beaumont road, near the town boundary, about 5.15 on Tuesday evening. She was them walking very leisurely, and gazing about her, and that caused witness to watch her movements for a few moments. Witness could not say wlmt direction deceased afterwards took. I rank Cuthbert, pharmaceutical chemist, in business in Lawrence, said deceased came into ms shop on Tuesday, between two and half-past two o’clock, and asked for lib weight of carbolic acid, saying she wanted it for a lotion for her legs, as she was suffering from varicose veins. Witness toldher to come hack in an hour and a-half or two hours, as his acid was frozen hard and would have to lx; liquefied. She accordingly came back towards five o’clock when witness wx® in the act of poarimr the acid into a bottle for her. After he bad corked and labelled the bottle he told ber that as the quantity was larger than he usually sold over the counter, unless to dentists and medical men, he would a*>k her to sign the poison register.,. This she accordingly did, and after witness handed ll6r . the bottle she paid him for it, and saying “Good-night” left the shop. He did not notice anything nnosual in deceased’s manner or bearing Sie seemed to be quite bright and cheerful and in good spirits. On two previous occasions within the last three weeks deceased purchased small quantities of carbolic add from witness. Carbolic acid came under a schedule of the Poisons Act and did not require to be signed for, pm-’ nded the chemist put the name of the poison on the label, along .with his own name and _ address and a distinctive poison label. Inis he had done, as was home out by the bottle produced. Dr Sutherland deposed that there were [■o nKirks of external violence on deceased's, body The face was Motched, with a little Wood oozing from the nose. There were erosions on the upper lip. ami the lining of the mouth was bleached. The appearance of the lips and the lining of the mouth corresponded with the indications which were to be expected in a. cam of carbolic acid poisoning. Death from carbolic acid poisoning might occur in a few moments. After hearing the evidence given by some of the previous witnesses, he was of opinion that death bad resulted from carbolic acid poisoning. Deceased must- have taken the poison within an hour or so after getting it from the chemist, as otherwise iUwould have become solid and could not have been taken out of the bottle.

Sergeant Higgins deposed that he was on the scene shortly after the body was ! found. The body was lying on the left ride, and against the right thigh the bottle of carbolic acid (produced) was resting upright. There were no signs of struggling where the body was lying. The jury returned a verdict in keeping with the medical testimony, to the effect that the poison was se’f-administered while deceased was in an unsound state of mind.