A TRAGIC AFFAIR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10355, 12 August 1919, Page 4

A TRAGIC AFFAIR

YOUNG WOMAN’S SUICIDE

EXTRAORDINARY CASE AT AUCKLAND.

A SPIRITUALISTIC SEANCE ANE ITS SEQUEL.

Prpss Association,

AUCKLAND, August 11

, A singular case was set down fof hearing at the Police Court this morning in the shape of a charge against a young woman of nineteen years named Pearl Burke, of having aided and abetted another young woman, Jessie West, in the commission of suicide. Jessie West was tha woman who drowned herself in the Whangarei harbour under such strange circumstances one night at tho beginning of last June by walking into the water in her sleeping attire from the steps of the town wharf, and Pearl Burke it was who accompanied her to the water’s edge. Accused afterwards returned to the hotel, where both girls were employed. The proceedings in court were only formal. Burke is at present in Auckland lies pital, having collapsed on her way down from the north, and accordingly depositions only could be taken. The first deposition was that of tn« coroner, J. M. Killen, who formally deposed as to evidence given by Burke at tile inquest, and this was followed by the story of William Robert West, farmer, of Cambridge, who told the court that he had married the deceased woman, then named Bissett, at the •cgistry office at Hamilton in January, The deceased girl was then thirty-six years of age. Subsequently she went ■sway to Auckland on holiday, one thence to Whangarei. She wrote tc him from both places, her last letter being from a Whangarei hotel. They had lived on good terms, and had never had an angry word. The evidence of Ellen Murphy, coos, of Symonds street, Auckland, ana employed at the Whangarei Hotel nt the time of the suicide, was read. She told the court that she shared room 13 with West, and accused occupied the adjoining room. The day after witness commenced to work at the hotel the deceased woman said she had a great fritnd named Ered Potts, contractor and builder,-of Cambridge, ot whom she was very fond, and who bad shot himself. He was a widower with several children, and had got into financial difficulties. In order to assist him she had married an old man named West, from whom she hoped to get money to give to- Putts, She had failed, however, to got any money from her husband. She told witness that her maiden name was Bissett, and her parents had died some time ago. A BELIEVER IN SPIRITUALISM. Discussing Potts, West incidentally 1 mentioned that she was a believer m spiritualism, and had attended one meeting in Auckland. When deceased discussed this, topic, . which waa frequently, witness laughed at Her. and she became very angry. West was continually speaking of Freddy Potts, and declaring that she wanted to join him, and could not live without, him. She also informed witness that before she went to the spiritualistic meeting she wanted to drown herself, but she had found that she could communicate with him, and did not want to do so now.- Later she said that “Freddy’s” spirit wanted her to join him, and that it had communicated with her by knocking on a. table. -- - :

WHAT HAPPENED AT A SEANCE. Witness laughed at . him, but shortly after Pearl Burke came West proposed that they should hold a seance in her bedroom, and witness raised no objection and made arrangements for i meeting at 7.30. She got a threelegged flower stand and put a chairbottom on it. Jessie West put the light out, and- they began to sing “There is a Happy Land, Far, Far Away.” Witness heard three taint knocks on the bedroom floor. One of the table legs was slightly raised as though it had made a noise. Jessie West remarked that the result was no good, as she could not interpret the knocks. On the occasion of the first knock she had said “Good evening, spirit friend,” hut as the Other knocks were faint, she abandoned the seance. Witness attended no more meetings, but Jessie West and Pearl Burke continued to hold meetings, witness being in bed in the room on one or two occasions. Tho proceedings were similar'. West endeavoured to speak to “Freddy,” asking if he were happy, and purported to get replies. These were to the effect that he was not very happy, but happier, than ha was on earth. Pearl Burko inquired of the spirits about her dead brother. WANTED TO MEET “FREDDY.” Accused had told witness that she (Burke) had intended to drown herself. About a fortnight before the tragedy occurred, Jessie West told witness that she intended to drown herself, so as to bo able to meet “Freddy,” but that she would not drown herself at Whaugare:. She added that she would get a few days off and go up to Waikato. Witness told her that, if she did taka a few days off she would tell other people .about it, or else follow her and stop her. After that she was more reserved towards witness, but she became very friendly, with Pearl Burke. Witness was in the bedroom several time* when they had; been talking together, and they stopped talking immediately she - came in. A week before the suicide they were exceptionally friendly. On Juno 2nd, when witness returned from the pictures, she asked accused where deceased had gone. Accused replied, “She has drowned herself.” THE FINAL SEANCE.

A statement to Constable Martin b) accused was banded in In this accused gave a detailed account of the seances. Deceased frequently said she would commit suicide by drowning herself in the Waikato river, and intimated her intention of asking tor two days off for the purpose of going there. Continuing, the statement said: About 7.45 p.m. on Juno , Jessie West and myself held a Spiritualistic meeting in her room. The- lights Word turned’cut as usual, and wo placed oar hands on the table. Deceased said: “Jessie loves Freddy,” and the table knocked three times, which deceased said meant “Yes.” Then she said, “Does Freddy want Jessie?” And tho table again knocked three times. Then she said, “Is Freddy happy without

Jessie?” and the table knocked once, which deceased said meant “No.” DECEASED WALKS INTO THE WATER.

This seance lasted until 8.10 p.m., and then deceased lighted a candle, and said she was going to meet “Freddy,” and that she would be ever so much happier, and he would bo happier, too. She at, this time had her costume on, and she told me to go and put my coat on. This 1 did, and 1 joined her again in her room. She said, “We’!! go now,” and then we left the hotel by the hack entrance. Deceased said, “We’ll go down on to the wharf,” and accordingly we did so. Deceased,- on the way to iho wharf, kept talking about her “Freddy” calling her at the wharf. Deceased took oil all her clothing, with the exception of her nightdress and a pair of white stockings, and after handing them to mo went down the whari steps and went quietly into the water. After she went into the water 1 watched her lot three or four minues before 1 left the wharf to return to the hotel. Tho statement added that accused did not fe” {he truth to the police at first, because West had told her not to say anytiung.

Tho depositions were then read over to accused in hospital before Mr Hunt, S.M., who committed her for trial at tho Supreme Court. In the proceedings at the hospital Air .Moody formally objected to Alias ■Aiujphy’s evidence relating to conversations at which accused was not present.