TRAGEDY AT NEWTOWN

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1463, 18 March 1905, Page 5

TRAGEDY AT NEWTOWN

THE INQUEST ADJOURNED,

An enquiry was commenced on Thursday into the circumstances connected with the death of John Rousell and Mary Hughes, wiiosa, bodies were found at Newtown Wednesday. Mrs Pngh, Mrs Hughes, and the latter's two sfltiS'.'liyed jn the same houw as Rousell, rwho was in financial dilliculties, aifd/had been advised/of pending divorce '.proceedings 'in which lie and Mrs!- Vere to" be-'joined. The inquest on the man was taken first. The evidence showed that deceased was found •in his workshop with his brains blown out, and in such a position as to make suicide the only possible conclusion. A verdict of "suicide while temporarily insane was returned.

At the inquest on tho body of Mrs Hughes her mother gave evidence that she had heard her daughter say she would take her own life ; that was at times when she suffered from headache. Dr. Perkins stated that the woman's condition when found in Rousell's bedroom suggested death by poisoning, tout he had been unable to fmd a trace of any poison or any sign of congestion or hemmorhage. There was blood on the sheets of the bed, and bloody 'froth on her mouth. The woman's body was colder than Rousell's ; this suggested that she had died first.

William Hughes, husband of the deceased, said he had lived happily with his wife until they made Rousell's acquaintance. His wife left him early in January, without warning, and he was taking proceedings for divorce. Some years ago she was very ill and had said she would be glad to die. Ho had not seen his wife from the! day she left him w T ith her mother and children to go and live at Rousell's. Tho inquest was adjourned until Monday, when the result of the. analyst's examination of the woman's stomach will be available.