A REMARKABLE CASE.

Lake County Press, Issue 2789, 12 June 1919, Page 5

A REMARKABLE CASE.

Suicide by Young- women.

Some sensational evidence was given at an inquest at Whangarei last week concerning the death of Jessie West, aged 82 years, a housemaid in a Whan- £ garei hctel, whose body was found in < the upper reaches of the Whangarei ' Harbour. Pearl Burke, • a housemaid at the , hotel, testified that a spiritualistic , meeting was held in the deceased's room on Tuesday night After the I meeting, at 8.30, witness and deceased \ walked down to the wharf, where the latter, remarking : " Freddy is calling , me," disrobed herself and put on her , night-dress. At deceased's request witness took her clothes and walked away, though fully aware of deceased's intention. A verdict was returned that death was due to drowning by the deceased throwing herself into the water. The coroner remarked that the girl Burke, though apparently simple-minded, was morally responsible for Miss West's death, if not liable under the criminal code.