LONELY WOMAN'S SUICIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19986, 30 June 1928, Page 11

LONELY WOMAN'S SUICIDE.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. SAD CASE AT TAIHAPE.

[Bl" TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAIHAPE, Friday.

An inquest concerning the death of the domestic servant Sarah Mcßride, whose body was found in the Hautapu River, near the Papakai Road Bridge yesterday, was hold before the district coroner, Mr. J. P. Aldridge, to-day. Bercsford Close Fitzherbert "gave evidence of identification. He said the deceased had been in his employ and had given every satisfaction. At times she seemed to bo very depressed and complained of sleeplessness. Her trouble seemed to be loneliness and she wanted to return to Belfast. He last saw her alive at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, when she was more cheerful than usual.

Marjorie Sophia Leighton said that as she approached Papakai Road Bridge on Thursday morning she saw a woman standing on a projecting arm of the bridge. The woman was about to jump into the river. Witness called out and the woman then walked back. Witness asked her what she was doing there. The woman was crying, and said, "Oh, leave me alone. I want to drown myself."

Witness then ran to Mr. Shergold's house and telephoned to the police.

Sergeant O'Neill gave evidence as to searching the Hautapu River and finding the body of deceased. There was one mark on the body, on the centre of the chest, as though deceased had struck a rock in jumping from the bridge into the rather shallow water.

The coroner said it was a very sad case, in which no blame was attachable to anyone. He returned a verdict that deceased, while temporarily insane, committed suicide by drowning.