PATHETIC STORY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 111, 10 April 1926, Page 6

PATHETIC STORY.

CHRISTCHURCH GIRL’S DEATH. MUSHROOM POISONING SUGGESTED. The pathetic story of a former Christchurch girl’s sudden death was related by two witnesses to Mr E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, when he conducted an inquest on the body of Ethel Pilkington, aged twenty-five, of Severn street, Island Bay, who died unexpectedly, after a few hours’ illness, on Monday morning. “Wo were engaged to be married, and she was stopping at our place with my people,’’ said Arthur Preston, a young man, who was the first witness to be called. “Deceased was in perfect health, and to my knowledge had never been ill. We went for a walk on Sunday night, and after coming home had supper. I then went to bed and left Ethel downstairs with my sisters. About 3 a.m. I was awakened from my sleep by my aunt calling out, ‘Come down quickly, Arthur, and see what’s happened to Ethel.” Preston went on to say that he rushed downstairs to find the girl lying on her back near the pantry. She was unconscious and trying to speak. Dr. Young was called, and the patient was put to bed. When he arrived he said she might bo suffering from mushroom poisoning. The gin was immediately given an emetic, and though all the family fought hard to try and save her life, she died at 10.30 that morning. Mr Page: When she went out with vou for a walk did she leave you at all? Witness: No, sir. We were together all the time? Had she been out on her own at all that day? Did she make any purchases?—No. Witness also said he did not know why she had gone downstairs. There was a medicine bottle near by which may have been poison. Mrs Eleanor Pilkington, a widow, sat in Court weeping as she told her story. She said that Ethel was her only daughter, all that she had in the world. On the night of the tragedy they had been sharing a room, but she never noticed deceased go out once they went to bed. They had not been in Wellington long. They had come from Christchurch. "Witness could give no explanation at all as to her daughter’s sudden death. Ethel was always a very healthy girl and very happy. Mr Pago: Did you ever hear her at any tyno express a desire to tuke her

own life or say that she was tired of tilings? Witness; No, never. Witness then broke down and had to be assisted from Court. “Deceased may have died from heart failure, hut in the absence of any organic disease I cannot account for her death,” said Dr. Lynch, pathologist at Wellington Hospital, in giving evidence as to a post mortem ox--5 animation conducted by him on the body. Witness said the girl appeared j to be quite healthy and normal. He 3 could give no explanation for natural [ death, and for that reason would like [ to have some foreign matter found in , the body examined by the Government . analyst. The inquest was adjourned sine die pending this being done.