WAITATI TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1928, Page 7

WAITATI TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

(Press Association.)

DUNEDIN, August 24. ' Regarding the Waitati murder, an inquest was held this afternoon, when it was stated that Nurse Mclnnes was 25 years of age. She had been relieving at the Home since August 1 and she previously had been employed at the Seacliff Mental Hospital, where Ellis, who was 34 years of age, and who was divorced from his wife, had been employed as a bricklayer and plasterer on the construction of a- new building. Afer the finding of the bodies had been described," Nurse Laurent, in whom the murdered woman had confided, said she understood that Nurse Mclnnes was undecided between two men, one of whom was Ellis. Ellis had quarrelled with her. She had told witness that, at a dance- at Seacliff, she had danced with other men, and not very often with Ellis. This had made him jealous. Nurse Mclnnes led witness to believe that she had finally rejected Ellis. She had entrusted witness with a letter to Ellis, about which she seemed to be worried. She was eager to get a reply, and she was dreading the contents. .She had asked him several questions, and she had hoped that he would’answer each one.

Dr Tizer described the injuries, and he stated that there was no sign that Nurse Mclnnes had been interfered with sexually.

“The facts of this sad tragedy are only too plain,” said the Coroner. “It is obvious that Nurse Mclnnes was murdered by Ellis, who then cut his th roat. ”

A verdict was returned accordingly