THE BURNING FATALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13925, 5 December 1908, Page 6

THE BURNING FATALITY.

PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

An inquest respecting the death of Mrs. Jane Fisher Andrews, aged 68, which took place at the district hospital on Thursday, from burning injuries received in her room on the Ist inst., was held yesterday by the City Coroner, Mr. T. Gresham.

The evidence did not throw much additional light on the fatality, though some rather curious facts regarding the deceased's habits of life were brought out. Mrs. Kate Page, of 65, Nelson-street, from whom the deceased woman ,had rented a room since July last, said that Mrs.- Andrews was very careful about fire, and there was no fireplace in her room. Deceased always kept a couple of terrier dogs in her room. She also had many bundles of paper in her apartment. A juryman expressed the opinion that the burning of papers in a room without a fireplace was a very dangerous practice. Witness: I haven't the slightest idea whether she was burning them or not. Mrs. Page informed the Coroner that deceased was a Londoner by birth, but had been in Auckland for 46' years. She had been married twice, to a, man named Andrews each time. Witness had never known her to be under the influence of liquor. David Ogilvy, who went across to the house and found the old woman groaning in her bedroom, badly burned, said that when lie discovered her one of her sleeves was still burning, and her tore it off. While looking for some oil to put on her burns he" found a bottle half-full of whisky, a flask of brandy, and a cup containing brandy alongside the bed. Subsequently one of the boys in the house told him that " the old lady had been drinking brandy all night." •This latter statement was denied by Mrs. Page, who desired that her son, aged 7|, should be called to rebut it. The jury, however, declined to allow the child to give evidence, on the ground that it was undesirable to put children of tender years in the witness-box. Constable Kenny, who removed the woman to the hospital, said he did not notice any signs of drink on her. The Coroner stated that the medical evidence was to the effect that death was due to shock, resulting from burns. One of the medical men (Dr. Cross), who saw the woman on her admission to the institution, did not see any signs of drink about her. Mrs. Page, who had known her for 20 years, had never soen her under the influence of drink. In his (Mr. Gresham's) opinion there was no evidence to support the allegations that the deceased was under the influence of liquor. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.