DEATH OF GIRL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 12

DEATH OF GIRL

CORONER'S COMMENT

MARRIED MAN CENSURED TRAGEDY AT WHENUAPAI EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST "For the rest of your life you can consider that the death of this child is practically due to your callousness, said Mr. F. K. Hunt, coroner, addressing a young married man, Leslie William Reanney, at an inquest held at Henderson yesterday into the death of June Carter, aged 18, who collapsed and died after drinking poison at Whonuapai on October 7. The coroner found that the poison had been selfadministered while deceased was under great distress. The parents of the girl, Mr. and Mrs. H. Carter, of Whenuapai, Avere represented by Mr. It. P. Hunt. Mr. Elcoat appeared on behalf of Reanney. Constable F. Pollard -conducted the case for the police. Reanney, who gave his age as 32, stated that prior to October 1 he was in business as a storekeeper at Whenuapai, where he first met June Carter four and a-half years ago through her calling at the store almost daily as a customer.

Action By Parents

. "She appeared to have become infatuated with me and 1 could not break her of it," Reanney continued. "About two and a-half years ago, on account of the girl's attitude toward me, her parents secured a position for her in Auckland but, in spite of this, her infatuation appeared to continue. She knew of my business movements when 1 went to Auckland on an average of once a week and she would go arid sit in my motor-car for me to return while I was away attending to my interests." said, he was walking along the path from the road to his residence when the girl stepped in front of him. After a discussion, ho and his wife decided to allow her to spend the night at their home.

Girl's Entry Into House

On the following day witness said that, with his wife, ho returned from a visit to Auckland to find the key of the house missing and, on investigation, June Carter was found lying on a bed in the sleeping porch. Alongside it there was a glass containing crystals which resembled sugar. While he was looking at it the girl rose and said, "Here, give me that," but he walked outside and threw it away. Subsequently, his wife told the deceased that she would tell the police if she did not go, and the girl left almost immediately. Reanney said that at 10 a.m. on the following day, October 7, he was in the yard, when he saw deceased standing about four paces from him. She was /holding a small gfass jar containing a milky liquid which he thought was cream. He went into the house and informed his wife of return, and .she said she would iSrorm the police. Witness went back to the. yard to remonstrate with the girl. He thought the liquid in the jar looked unusual. Y\ lieu he knocked it out of her hand she said: "If that won't work 1 have plenty more that will." Collapse and Death

A few minutes' later witness found the girl ill in the shrubbery. He found a small paper bag to which a poison label was attached. His wife and he took her into the kitchen, where they attempted to administer antidotes. However, she collapsed and died before the arrival of a doctor.

Mr. R. P. Hunt: You say j*ou became acquainted with the girl. When did that acquaintance turn into something more intimate? \ Witness: It did not.

Do you mean to say there was never anything more than 'a mere acquaintance with this girl?—A strong friendship. Have you honoured your promise given in 1935 that you would have nothing to do with the girl?— Yes. How many times since she left V\ henuapai has she been in your company in Auckland?— Quite a few times I had fixed days for going into the city, and went to the same places, but 1. met her only at intervals of about two months. 1 never told her parents of these meetings. /

Friendship With Girl

I I suppose you will say you told your wife about them?— Not every time. The Coroner: Anyway, your friendship with this girl continued right up until the time of the tragedy. Don't tell me you saw her only once iu two months, because I won't believe it. Mr. Hunt: Have you ever told her you would divorce your wife and marry her?— No. The Coroner: I am still troubled by the fact that you did not go to the girl's father, wlio lived only 400 yards now if you had taken to her parents. Replying to Mr. Eleoat, Reanney said he had never asked the deceased to meet him in town and lie had remonstrated with her for being there. r J he wife of the previous witness, Dorothy Reanney, said they had been married for the past five years. There! had been no trouble between witness and her husband and the association with June was rather forced upon him. Hunt: Is your husband not looked upon as something of a Don Juan in the district?—l don't think so. Evidence of Parents You feel compelled to protect him as much as possible in this matter?— ' Not necessarily. I accompanied him to the social functions in the district, and I looked upon the association with June as a childish infatuation which she would get over when she went to town. I did not regard it seriously. Evidence was given bv the father of the deceased, Harry Carter, that he had spoken to Reanney at the end of 1934 and had remonstrated with him for carrying on with his daughter. Reanney admitted that "he had been a damn fool, but he loved little Junie, and would do his best not to see her any more." The mother of the girl. Alexa Carter, said she had been worried by her daughter's association with Reannev and had many talks to her on the subject. The deceased admitted tho infatuation. but witness thought that when she went to Auckland it was at an end. Subsequently, up to the time of the tragedy, there had been no cause to believe that it had been continued. Comment by Coroner "The finding is that tho cause of death of this girl was poison, selfadministered while under great distress," the coroner stated at the close of the evidence. "It is apart from my duty, but. I cannot help feeliug very great distress and grief that a married man of Reanney's age should have encouraged this little girl after his promise to have nothing to do with her." Addressing Rcanne.v, the coroner said that for the rest of his life lie could consider that the death of the child was practically due to his callousness. As a married man, he should have kept the girl at arm's length, as he-could r have done had lie wanted. Instead, he had constantly encouraged her. with | the result that when she heard lie was giving up the store she had greatly distressed herself.