CHRISTMAS DAY TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1712, 31 December 1919, Page 5

CHRISTMAS DAY TRAGEDY.

Carried w’Oman’s sad death

THE OORONIAL INQUIRY.

. Aft inquest concerning tho (loath of a marr*V ": o,nan rm m<d Amy Eliza Harrimah, who died in the hospital on Christmas mornJ' 1 ?, was hold this morning- before Mr A. J. Grnhaih, J.l’. (Acting-Coroner), and a jury corseting of Messrs W. G. Price, It. •Jackson. N. Croud, and A. Manley. Setgrant Fitzpatrick represented tho police, ir i Putnam’was tho first witness, no deposed that he was called to the homo of deceased on the 24th inst. at noon. Deceased was in bod, and although apparent jy conscious, she’ would not answer questions. She was in a very collapsed conditlori - He gave her an injection of morphia and rang up for tho ambulance to take her to. the hospital, tho vehicle arriving .very quickly. In a shed he found a bottle labelled spirits of salts, the contents of which she was supposed to have drunk, and J tho symptoms tallied with this supposition. He gave instructions for her treatment at the hospital, where everything possible was done to help her, but she gradually sank and died about five o’clock next morning. Witness held a post-mortem examination, uud iound that deceased’s mouth anti dirout were much burnt by a corrosive poison. Tho stomach was empty, and th,e whole of tho internal lining was very ex tonsively corroded. Death had resulted from eoiToeive poisoning, which was quite consistent with deceased having drunk spirits of salts. During the time deceased was in the hospital witness asked if she had drunk spirits of salts and she indicated that she had done so.

Herbert Harriman, husband off the deceased woman, deposed that ho and his wife used to milk the cows on his small farm on Napier road, usually finishing this work at half-jiast six o’clock in the morning. This procedure was followed on the morning of the 24th inst. About two months ago spirits of salts were obtained for the purpose of repairing a tank, and what was not used in a shod. Deceased knew' that the stuff was there, and that it was a poisonous liquid, . Prior to her death, deceased as r, rule ehjoyed good health, and could always do her work well, but for some years past she had complained of pains in her head. She worried herself over the death of her lather, who died about the end of October. On the morning of the 24th his wife was in her usual health am} good spirits when ho left her. About 11 o’clock witness received an urgent message to return home, and when he got there he found a lady holding his wife's head above water in a tank con- I taming 180 gallons of water. With assistance he had her removed from the ; tank, undressed and placed in bed. Water bags and towels were placed close to her • body to try to get her warm, and a telo-

itouo message was sent for Dr Putnam

The doctor came before very long. Deceased did not at that time speak to witLater deceased was removed to the hospital. At the doctor’s suggestion, they searched for the spirits of salts, and they found that the bottle that had contained it was empty, Dccased had never spoken to witness about taking her life. Deceased was 44 years of age. In reply to iho acting-Cororor, witness said that he had not at any time had anxiety about his wife’s mental condition. All he could imagine was that her father’s death had preyed on her mind. Victor Claud Harrjman, 11 years of age, son of fhe deceased, deposed that on the 24th hist, he left home about 8.30 a.m,, returning later, when ho saw his mother in a tank of water in the yard. Ho told her to get out, but she did not answer him.' Ho then telephoned for his father to be sent home. • After that lie told his mother that ho had rung up for his father, but she did not answer him. When he rang up the telephone he sent a message that his mother was dying. Mrs Wischnewskv arrived in a taxi car, and tried to get his mother out of the tank. His father then arrived, and ■the two of them took his mother out of the tank and put her to bed. Before leaving the house that morning ho told his mother lie was going, and she said: “All right; be home early for dinner.’’ In reply to the f Acting-Coroner, witness said that two day’s before Christmas his mother complained of feeling ill, and said that she thought she liad a clot, of blood on her brain.

Mrs Wisehnewsky, wife of the employer of deceased’s husband, deposed that she had known deceased about 12 years. About 10 a.m. on the 24th inst. witness received a telephone message from Victor Ilarrirnan to “ tell daddy to come home at once; Mother’s dying.” At that time Mr llurriman was out on the dolivoi-y cart, and witness immediately proceeded to deceased’s residence in Napier road. She asked Victor Ffarrirnun where his mother was, and she tried to get the taxi driver to help, but he had left (or town. Deceased was in a tank of water, with her head renting on the ledge. Witness put her arms round deceased and held her up. witness being unable to lift her out of the tank. Later witness’ husband and deceased’s husband arrived and removed deceased from the tank. - Deceased a few weeks ago had spoken to witness about the death of her father, and appeared to be worrving over it.

The jury returned a verdict that deceased mot. her death from poisoning through drinking spirits of salts while suffering from mental depression.