AFTER 51 DAYS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9574, 27 July 1923, Page 2

AFTER 51 DAYS.

WOMAN’S BODY FOUND. UNDER OWN HOME. SYDNEY, July 12. Ihe body of a woman lay under a house at Hand wick for 51 days without being discoveied, according to evidence given at the Coroner’s Court to-day. The woman, on whom the inquest was hold, was Bridget Shepherd, who lived with her husband at 94 Bontaystreet, Ranclwi ck. Henry Ernest -Shepherd stated that his wife was 44 years of ago, and that he last saw her alive at (> a.m. on April 28. She -was of weak intellect ancl bad been to Gallon Bark on two occasions, once lor a period of 18 months. He informed the police of her disappearance, and although every effort was made to find the missing woman she could nor be traced.

“On ,'Junc 17,” lie continued, “1 looked under the house and saw my wile lying there.” i.n reply to the Coroner (Mr Jamieson), witness said that the house was built up off the ground and that there was plenty of room for anybody to crawl under. “I noticed a peculiar smell about a fortnight after my wife disappeared,” concluded witness, “hut I did not connect the odor with my wife’s disappearance. A person would have to get down on his hand's and knees to sec the body.” The brother-in-law of the dec-eased, John Hughes, said that at 11.30 a.m. on June 17—51 days almost to the hour, when Mrs Shepherd disappeared —her little, boy aged five told him, that he saw something under tJ;.c house that looked like legs. He made an investigation, and found that it was tlie missing woman. She J was lying on her back about 12 feet under the house, and seven feet from the front wall. Dr. A. A. Palmer, Government medical officer, said that there were no marks of violence or traces or poison. He was uuablo to state the cause of"death. The Coroner returned an open verdict.