THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 805, 21 January 1903, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

A SAD STORY,

(Per Press' Association.)' DUNEDIN, last night

'An inquest was held by Mr C. C. Graham, coroner, touching the deal IK of Mrs Eliza Ellen Mayhcad, aged 53 years, and her son, William Mayhead, who were found drowned in a bath on Monday evening. Very little news was elicited. Tlie unfortunate woman was under the. care of Dr. Fulton, Ehc had shown a slight suicidal tendency, and she was watched, but the woman who had been engaged left, and Ihc nurse engaged, going to tlie house on Saturday, found husband and wife out. She told the doctor, who advised her to wait until Monday. Deceased urged her husband to go to work on Monday, assuring him she was well. Dr Fulton said he was satisfied that when tlie act was committed Mrs Mayhcad was not in. her right mind. The Rev. Harding, who saw the deceased very shortly before she died, said that; she seemed much brighter,and lie thought showed a great improvement over Saturday. The jury, without retiring, brought' in a verdict that William Mayhcad was murdered by his mother, who was in an unsound stale of mind, and that Eliza Ellen Mayhead committed suicide while in an unsound state of mind.

The Coroner said that in these cases it seemed harsh to make use of the word “murder,” but the sling was taken away from it by the fact that the woman was not accountable for her actions.