BURNING FATALITY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8611, 23 December 1913, Page 4

BURNING FATALITY

WOMAN WALES INTO FIRE

Press Association

AUCKLAND, December 22

On Saturday afternoon, Paulino McLaughlau, a married woman, whoso husband, John McLaughlau, a labourer, resides in Dundonald street, Newton, was so badly burned by walking into a burning rubbish heap in Newton road that she succumbed to her injuries a few hours later at the hospital. A man named Jenkin saw Mrs Mo Laughlan approach the rubbish heap j she stood for about ten minutes, and then went towards the heap of burn-, ing rubbish. She remained watching the smouldering debris for about three, quarters of an hour. Then she stirred it up with her boot until her dress caught fire. She screamed, “Jack! Jack 1” but apparently made no effort to extinguish her burning clothing or get away from the rubbish. Sir Jenkin hurriedly seized an old overcoat and hastened to the woman’s assistance. He wrapped the coat round her and extinguished the flames, but it was seen that the woman was badly burned, and she was taken to tin hospital, where she died at 7.30 p.m. Others who witnessed the affair stated to the police that the woman’s act appeared to be deliberate, and that the lighting of her dress did not seem to be accidental. The deceased was twenty-five yearn, of age. At the inquest, it was stated that deceased’s real name was Sykes. She had lived apart from her husband for several years with McLaughlan. The evidence showed she had been drinking during the afternoon. Medical evidence indicated that she was burn*, ed from her feet to her neck. The coroner said deceased walked into the embers and set fire to her clothing. There was little evidence as to the state of her mind prior to the act, but she had _ evidently been distressed, and that in conjunction with her trouble and the means etn. ployed satisfied him that at the time she was of unsound mind. He ed a verdict accordingly. .