THE RECENT CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11680, 15 June 1901, Page 3

THE RECENT CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION.

MRS. PLUNKET FOUND DROWNED. The grounds attached to the Choral Hail, Ohristohurrii, better known as the Tempi© of Truth, were tho scene on dune 7 of the closing act in the life of Mrs. AtkinsonPlunket, formerly known as Mr*. Worthing--ron, -.'.ho came to Christchurch when the Students of Truth cult was first founded by Mr. A. B. Worihiiigt-on, and who was recently married to Mr. J. 8. Atkinson, dentist. When the news whs known that Mrs. Plunket had been found drowned an an ornamental fountain a great sensation was cioated.

It appears that Mrs. Plunke-t had been ill for some time, and had been much depressed in mind, her mental state approaching melancholia. Although she was' asked to allow someone to .-it with 'ear she would not permit this, preferring, so it is stated, to be alone. About midnight on June 6 her attendants left her, much in the same state of health as she had boon in for some time, detecting I:0 signs that her symptoms ':f. rl altered or become more arete. Mrs. Plunfcet's sleeping apartment was at file can end of the residential portion of the Choral Hall building, and a considerable distance apart from the other bedrooms, so that none of the other occupants of the house were in a position to hear any movements made by her.

It has been enstsomary for the servants, as soon as they rose in the morning, to proceed immediately to Mrs. Piunket's room, to ascertain if sho required any attention. This course was followed on .Tune 7, but tho servant found on entering the bedroom that the be! was unoccupied, and she at once informed the other residents—Mr. .1. S. Atkinson and Miss Franc Car.tin. who was one of Mrs. Phmket's most intimate friends. and has been closely connected with tie- Students of Truth movement. A search was at ■ moo instituted, and resulted in the dead body of .Mrs. Phmket being found in an ornamental four.Hin in the grounds on the north side of the hull. Her feet were found bound together with an elastic hand, and her bodv was wrapped in a blanket. The fountain contains about 2ft or 3ft of water. The rim of Jho fountain is almost level with the ground. There was no indication us to the time when the sad event happened. and though Mr. Atkinson, ponding the arrival of Dr. Jennings, made every attempt to restore re.-piration, he was unsuccessful, and when me heal aid Arrived all that could, he done was to proncunce life extinct.

Early in IC3O Mr. and Mrs. Worthingtou, as they were then known, with two children, a boy and a girl, arrived in Christehuieh and took up their residence in Oflice Road, St. Albans, commencing with a few people to hold what were called classes of the Students of Truth. For some little time the number was only sufficient to fill one of the rooms. By-and-byo, however, (ho numbers increased, and in /» "ie a move was made to the Oddfellows' Chambers, where -Mrs. Wort hint- ton loo!; part in the work. Swlw equeiuiy the Oddfellows' Hall was taken, and classes, were instituted, in the working of which she took part. At a still later period, Use movement ior the huiiding of what v.-i < called the Tcnip'.o of Truth was carried out, and on the occasion of the laying of the foundationstone, and also in the formal opening, Mrs. Worthington and her two children took a prominent part. For some time after the occupancy of the temple matters between Mr. and Mrs. Worthington progressed, as far as could be seen, smoothly, although she made several attempts, which were always resisted by him, to obtain the ascendency. .She fcrnied several societies in connection with the body, of which she was the head and moving spirit. The efforts made by Mr?. Worthington to stand forward prominently at last led to open rupture. The, children made a statement repudiating the name of Worthington, and. announcing their names to b; Piunket. Mrs. Worthingtou, prior to her coming to New Zealand, had been married to Dr. Plunket, but a- divorce had been granted in America. This was followed by a scries of statements published by Mrs. Wcithington, in which she attacked Mr Worthington pretty severely. This rupture caused an entire separation between the parties, Mrs. Worthington, as she had been known up to this time, following the example or the. children, and, discarding the name she took that of Sister Magdala, by which she had been known in connection with one of the organisations she started. The three, with .Miss Franc (iarstin, who also had been associated with Mrs. Plunket in her work, then loft the house next door to the Temple, where she was redding at the time of her death. Some portion of the followers went with her, and after a short, but exciting, paper warfare between Mr. Worthingtou and herself, she settled down in a small office in Chancery bane, and took up the work of mental healing. For some little time she remained there. In the meantime her girl had been adopted by a gentleman in Christchurch, and the boy went to America. Following upon this Sister Magdala, as she was called, removed to a flat in Luck's Buildings, still continuing tc carry on the mental healing in conjunction with Miss Garstin. At a still lator date another move wa.s made to I lie house next to the Choral Hall, which she had left at the time of the rupture between herself and Mr. Worthington. Here what is known as the New Zealand School of Mental Science was founded, and has been carried on up to her death. Some four or five months ago Sister Slagdala—or, as was announced in the marriage notice, Mrs. Plunket— married Mr. J. S. Atkinson, a dentist, of the firm of Messrs. Atkinson and Neeley. In the marriage notice it was stated that tin change of name would take place, i.e., that though she had married Mr. Atkinson she wished still to be called and known as Sirs. Piunket.