DEATH OF MRS PENNYCOOK

Evening Star, Issue 15906, 11 September 1915, Page 9

DEATH OF MRS PENNYCOOK

THE INQUEST. An inquiry touching thedeath of Mrs Pennycook, wife of Captain W. S. Pennycook, was conducted by Mr H. A. Young, S.M., district coroner, yesterday afternoon, at the residence of deceased, James street, Balclutha. Jack Harvey Pennycook, 13$ years of age, a stepson of deceased, deposed that his father, Captain Pennycook, had left New Zealand with the Sixth Reinforcements. For a short time Dr Stenhouse had been attending his stenmother. About' 1 a.m. on the 9tli (Tliursday) witness, who siept in a room opening into the dining room, his stepmother's room being at the far end of the dining room, was awakened by a scream. He got out of bed and went into the dining room, where he- saw his stepmother standing under the gaslight and near to the fireplace. She was enveloped in flames, which came from the foot of her nightgown, which was on fire. She was screaming, and witness caught up a rug and wrapped it round her. Then witness called his sister (Ivy Pennycook, aged about 18), who came to his assistance. The flames broke out again, and his stepmother ran to the back door. Did not know whether she opened it or they opened it; but the mother got outside, and witness and his sister rolled her in the grass, which put the flames out. She then got up and walked with them to her bedroom. Ivy took off her clothes and put fresh clothes on, while witness went for Dr Stenhouse. Could not say whether there was a, fire in the grate in the dining room at'l a.m., but there was at- 8.3p o'clock the night before, when witness went to bed. There was generally a fire there, and coal was invariably burned. "Witness came back with the doctor and went to bed. Did not hear bis stepmother say how the accident occurred, but understood that she told the doctor. The Coroner said the witness had evidently acted in a prompt and proper way in extinguishing the fire. Andrew Stenhouse, medical practitioner, practising in Balclutha, gave evidence that he had attended deceased for several days prior to her death, on account of facial erysipelas. Was called to the house on Thursday morning at about a quarter to 2, arid on arriving found deceased suffering from burns extending from the ankles up to the lower part of the chest, and also burns on the hands and face. She was at that time somewhat delirious, but after a time became more rational. Witness attended to the injuries, using appropriate treatment both for the burns and for the shock, which was intense. When she became fully rational she explained to witness how it happened. She had gone to see the time on the clock in the dining room, and while there she threw some pieces of paper and other rubbish into the fire. Then she was standing at the mantelpiece looking at sonie photographs, more particularly her husband's photograph, when her nightdress (of flannelette) burst into flames. She also had on a dressing jacket of some soft material. After that she became excited, and she did not know what happened. Witness considered certain kinds of flannelette very dangerous when exposed to heat and flame, and deceased had worn a flannelette of that kind. It was of an explosive inflammability. Deceased died the same day at midday, death resulting from shock following the burns. Was satisfied that the affair was purely accidental, and from the knowledge witness had gained in attending on her he had no reason to suggest that it could have been otherwise than accidental. That was all the evidence, and the Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony, adding that all would sympathise with Captain Pennycook in the sad circumstances attending his wife's death, especially 'as he was so far away and on his way to Turkey; and sympathy would also go out to the children left under these distressing circumstances. The Coroner also added: The son is to be commended for. the presence of mind shown in doing the right. thing under extraordinary circumstances. Mrs_ Pennycook was 37 years of age last birthday, and leaves two children, the younger about two and the elder five; and there are four stepchildren, the eldest a young man at present in Chicago, U.S.A.