“CAT AND DOG LIFE.”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 89, 28 March 1911, Page 11

“CAT AND DOG LIFE.”

DEATH OF KETI PARKER. THE INQUEST. An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Keti Parker. who died suddenly at her residence near Paki Paki on Saturday evening, was held at the Hastings Courthouse yesterday afternoon, by Mr. S. E. McCarthy, District Coroner. The l>ody of the court was crowded with Maoris, who evinced great interest in the proceedings. Hilton Herrington Lawn Parker, labourer, residing outside of Pul i Paki, sworn, said the deceased was his wife, and was 27 years of age. They were married in 1906 at the Registry Office at Akaroa. Had been residing near Paki Paki for four years and a half. His wife had run away on one occasion as the result of an argument they had had. Did not remember what the argument was about. This would be about 12 months ago. She had not run away on any other occasion. He told her then that if she wanted to go she could. During the course of the argument he struck his wife on the face. She did not cry after he struck her, but cried when she was going away. She went away half an hour after he struck her. His wife stayed away about two days. On Saturday last he left home with her to drive into Hastings at about 1 p.m., and arrived about 2 o’clock. They pulled up at Watkins’, the saddler’s, and left the gig there. Deceased came into Hastings, and witness, remained at Watkins’. They met three-quarters of an hour later. Witness did not speak to her. Saw her at different times during the afternoon, but could not remember whether he spoke to her or not. Met her and spoke to her about 6 o’clock in front of the Carlton Club Hotel in Heretaunga street. Deceased told him she was going to have tea, and pointed to Rebay’s or Lucas’s. Witness replied “ All right.” and deceased went in the direction of the restaurant. Next saw her when she brought a parcel belonging to Tomlin, a native, at 7.15, near the Carlton Club Hotel Witness asked her if she had got any meat, and gave her . 2/- to buy some. Deceased went over to Hoy’s, and purchased the meat, and on returning offered it to witness. He (witness) had one parcel under his arm, and asked her to go along with him. She replied e was going to tb< pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Pa? Hokianga. Witness replied that there was plenty of time, and they both then walked in the directior of the place where they had left the gig. When they got betweei Sattherwaite’s stables and the Al bert Hotel he asked her to let bin smell her because h< thought she had been drinking Deceased had had drink before but he had never seen her intoxi cated. She had . told witness that she had been intoxicated twice Witness smelt her breath, and found that she had been drinking. Said to her, “You’ve been drinking,” and she replied “ Yes.” Asked where she got it, and she said “ From Mrs. Pat Hokianga.” It was beer. She said they had the drink in Sattherwaite’s stables, and she took it out of Mrs. Hokianga’s coat-pocket while she was doing up her hair. Witness said, “ Is that what you came into town for?” Deceased did not reply. Later on she said that when Mrs. Hokianga turned round from the mirror she caught her putting the bottle down and growled at her. Witness and deceased then went for the gig. Witness put his parcels in the gig, lit the lamps, and harnessed the horse. When witness pulled the gig out, deceased said “ Are you going home ?” Witness replied, “It looks like it.” Deceased said that she had some pennies belonging to Mrs. Hokianga’s children, and she wanted to return them. Witness told her she could do so another time. Both then got into the trap and drove on. When they got opposite Dr. Nairn’s residence, witness asked his wife to let him smell her breath again. He did so, and said to her “ Do you mean to tell me you have only had one drink?” She replied, “ Yes.” Witness then struck her on the neck with his* open hand. Deceased did not cry. i They did not speak again till they: rtached Tomlin’s gate at Paki | Paki. Witness there got out of j the gie and delivered Tomlin’s par-I cel. They then drove on. Below; John Anderson’s place witness ‘ caught hold of his wife’s chin and shook her head, because he was angry with her for being under the influence of drink. Had a drink occasionally, but was not a drunkard. She did not say anything ■when he shook her. They did not speak again till they reached home. ; Both get out of the gig, and wit-! ness asked her to hold the lamp while he unharnessed the horse. I

This she did, standing near the] buggy shed. After witness had unharnessed the horse and put the gig in the shed, deceased came out of the shed by a side door. Witness then went into the kitchen door and called to his wife to bring the light. He then heard a noise like something falling. The light went out. Witness put the meat on the table, and went to the back door and called out “ Where are you V' Struck a match and found deceased lying on the floor in the trapshed, face downwards, with the lamp by her side. Picked her up and carried her into the kitchen. Deceased called out, “ I’ve taken it! I’ve taken it I” Witness put his fingers down her throat, anti she vomited. Then lifted her up and shook her with her head downwards. Tried to get his fingers down her throat again. Squeezed her round the stomach. Deceased said “Leave me alone; it’s no use.” and asked him to loosen her clothes. Did this, and then she called out to bathe her with water. Bathed her face, hands and forehead. Then took her into her bedroom. Rubbed her hands, chest .and stomach. Hvr pulse had stopped, and could not hear her heart beating. Went to catch his horse, locking the

door behind him. Went back three or four minutes after and rubbed deceased again. Then went to Tomlin’s place, about a mile away, to get someone to go for a doctor. Sent a native to telephone for a doctor, and then returned home with Tomlin. Put his hands on his wife’s face and turned to Tomlin and said she was cold. There was sheep-dip in a tin (produced) in the trapshed. Did not know how much dip was in the tin. It was kept for disinfectant purposes. Fifteen minutes elapsed between the time he unharnessed the horse and the time deceased fell. Deceased had taken poison before, about three weeks after last New Year. On that occasion deceased took it because they had an argument about her having misconducted herself with a young man on the night of January I. Witness hit her on the back with his hand on that occasion. She then took Jeyes’ fluid (poison). Witness put his fingers down her throat and she vomited it up. They had been quarrelling on and off and lived a cat and dog life since they were married. He had on several occasions struck her. If the doctors said there were several recent abrasions —one on the right side of the chin, a long one on the right hip, a small one on the left hip, and another one on the left ankle of the deceased, he did not know how they occurred.

] She stumbled against the wheel of the gig near Watkin’s gate. Did not notice the abrasion on her chin before they left Hastings. Deceased possessed property at Akaroa and Wairoa. Did not know who the property would go to now. Dr. Wilson arrived some time after midnight on Saturday night and pronounced life to be extinct.* To deceased’s father (George Henrica) ; Struck his wife at Aka-; roa on one occasion because he heard of her misconduct. This was three weeks after they were, married. Did not “hammer” her in Christchurch. ' H. M. Wilson, medical practi-' tioner. sworn, said that in response to a telephone message he went to Paki Paki about midnight on March 25. and arrived at deceased’s house between 1 and half-past. Made an external examination of deceased, and found four abrasions, one on the right side of the face about the size of a sixpence. Did not think it could have been caused by a blow from an open hand; one on each thigh at the top of either side ; and another on the left ankle. The abrasions were anti-mortem and recent. Saw two places where deseased had vomited in the kitchen, and there were signs of vomit on her face.

Had made a post mortem examination with Dr. Barcroft, and found signs in the stomach of her having recently taken an irritant poison. Had kept the contents of the stomach. Arsenic was the principal poison in sheep dip. The wounds could not have caused death. The evidence given by the previous witness as to deceased’s actions was consistent with those of a person' having taken poison. Very little! sheep dip would cause death. I Three and a-half grains would kill. Persons died about two hours or. so after taking the poison. The thigh wounds might have been caused by accused bumping up against some blunt object. The; bruise on the chin might have been caused by the deceased falling after taking the poison. Penrose John Barcroft gave corroborative evidence with regard to the post mortem examination. Thomas Tomlin, a cooper, residing at Paki Paki, also gave evidence. THE VERICT. The finding of the Coroner was as follows: —“That deceased died about half-past ten o’clock on the night of March 25, 1911, from arsenical poison, the poison having ( been self-administered. The evi- ; dence discloses that shortly before taking the poison the husband of deceased, Herrington Lawn Parker, had struck her owing to her

having taken alcohol, and that ( striking his wife was his usual * method of correcting her. I direct the attention of the police to the ease with which Maori women can procure liquor in the town of Hastings.”