BRIDE-TO-BE GASSED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1933, Page 5

BRIDE-TO-BE GASSED

TWICE POSTPONED MARRIAGE. LONDON, August. 15. A verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was recorded at an inquest at Preston last night on Etheigever Copping, 30, of Hop wood-road, Preston, who was found gassed on Saturday the day originally fixed for her wedding. It was stated that the engagement had been broken off following an interview with her ’fiance, Norman Berry, 32, fitter, of London-road, Preston. Miss Copping's mother said that on Friday, the day before that fixed for the wedding, she visited her daughter and found her heartbrdken. Her daughter told her that she had seen the Berrys, and Mrs Berry cancelled the wedding, but Berry said he would go through with it. Mrs Berry and her daughter said that Norman was not in a fit condition to be married. Mrs Copping added that her daughter told her she would go early on Saturday to the place where she was to have spent the honeymoon “just to keep up appearances.” Her daughter was afraid of being laughed at by the neighbours because the wedding had twice previously been postponed. Norman Berry agreed that they had quarrelled over his drinking. There were the usual lovers’ quarrels. The coroner, Col. H. Parker, said that he did not know what passed between the families, but whatever the remarks made were they were uncalled for. Miss Copping was not the sort of girl who deserved that kind of treatment. The repeated cancelling of the wedding was enough to turn anybody’s mind. The fault was on the Berrys’ side. The couple had been eourting six years and engaged eighteen months.