THE HARBOUR MYSTERY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10562, 13 April 1920, Page 5

THE HARBOUR MYSTERY

DEATH OF MRS HEBBEND DEPOSITIONS OF WITNESSES AT CORONIAL INQUIRY. A coronial inquiry into the circumstances surroundiug tho death t>f Eliza Jane Hebbond, whose body, tho head of which was fearfully mutilated, ■was found floating in the harbour on March 26th, was opened by Mr AV. *G. Riddcll, S.M., yesterday. ChiefDetective A. Ward conducted the case for tho Crown, and Mr W. Terry watched the. proceedings for the husband. DECEASED'S INJURIES DETAILED. Dr. 'William Kington Fyft'e, who conducted a post-mortem examination of the remains, deposed that the- deceased was a middle-aged woman with ' abrasions on the right forearm on the inner side, bruises on tho back of the light wrist, one bruise on the back of the right elbow, and abrasions on the middle part of tho left shin. There was also a bruise on the scalp in the mid-line. They were nil -superficial

und recent. Thore was a gaping wound on the left side under tho remus of the jaw. and tho left ear was missing. The wound, three inche3 long, by one and a- half inches wide, extended downwards and inside along tho re mus of the jaw. The buccinator muscle wan torn away from its attachments and part of the sternonastide. Tho large vessels veee exposed and the carotid artery was severed Between, the angle of the jnu ond the angle of the mouth, on the left side, was a second small triangular clean-cut wound, and at the anglo of the mouth on the same side w a third wound one and a quarter inches long. The latter was clean out, and opened into the mouth. On the upper surface of this' wound were two or three scratches, which may have been caused by nails or teeth. All the wounds were" caused by some sharp cutting instrument. There were no mark* of powder, singeing, or bruising about the scalp or wounds. There was n. -distinct amount, of wnter in tho stomach, showing that the woman trpn*. into the water in n consoi^i ? or l«mi-consc-ious condition, and_ died not mt- drowning but of loss of olood A rer.v sharp instrument must luvo been need to amputate the ear in its entirety. It was possible that the wound in the chin might have been caused bv an attempt on the part of the aaakilant to extricate his fingers from her mouth. The clothes showed a considerable quantity of blood, and although she had "been in the water tor «om« time the blood had not washed out. There was no blood whatever on the head. The eanso of death was haemorrhage, due to the severance of the carotid artery. All the wounds had been caused before death. NOT SELF-INFLICTED.

To the coroner: He thought the deceased was facing her assailant when the wounds were receivede It was quite possible that she was lying down. Bhe must have lost consciousness within three minutes after the ear wound had been inflicted and entered tho water almost immetSately afterwards. There was. no possibility that the wounds were self-inflicted, or that they had heen caused by a broken bottle. To Chief-Detective Ward: A razor or some other very sharp instrument wufi used. e To the coroner: There was 3 a very »emote possibility that the ear wound was done by the propellor of a launch while the deceased was struggling in the "water, hut such an occurrence would not account for tha other wounds. A theory that a shark was responsible was ridiculous. THE HUSBAND'S EVIDENCE

Charles W. Hebbend, husband ot the deceased, eaid she was addicted to liquor, and on the last occasion he saw her alive—between 4 p.m. and o p.m. on February 25th—she had had somo drink. Witness frequently hau altercations with her on account ot her drinking habits, but not on tho day she disappeared. She was usually depressed when recovering from a drinking bout. About a year ago, she had threatened to do away with herself. So far as witness knew, the only jewellery she was wearing when she left home was her wedding-ring. Whea ihe did not return home overnight witness was not anxious. Deceased's mother, Mrs Chandler, was at bis place when she left, but she departed about 7 p.m., after which time he was alone. He did not go out that night. His wife was very quarrelsome and obstinate when ■ in drink, ond he had had dozens of arguments with her over the matter. So far as he knew, she had no enemies, and ho could not account for her presence in the water. Deceased usualIv carried a small leather handbag. He liiad not seen it since the tftgedy. Ho did not know if she had any money when she left the house, but he had hoard since that she did possess some. MOTHER OF DECEASED.

Maria Chandler, mother of the deceased, said she was visiting the hitter's place of residence on March 2oth. Between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., Mrs >Hebhend told her that she was going out. and -witness tried to dissuade her, but without avail. Hebbend was at the house when witness left at about 7 p.m. On the following day she again visited the house, and Hebbend then asked her if She had seen anything of the deceased, who had not been home overnight. Witness had not. Hebbond and his wife did not-live happily together, and this was due to the latter's propensity for drinking. She had novel seen the deceased ill-treated, and-did not know of anyone who would do j 6uch a thing. Deceased frequently went round Oriental Bay, whero used to sit on the public seats. She usually carried a small leather handbag, in which, among other things, was usually some peppermint lollies. DECEASED'S MOVEMENTS. . Sophia Toweey, who was the last person known to have seen the- deceased alive, deposed that she knew Mrs Hebbend by sight, and that between 5 and 6 p.m. on March 2.5 th the latter spoke to her in the City Hotel. Deceased purchased a small flask of brandy, which she placed in a small leather hand-bag, and then left tho hotel, expressing herself as bent on visiting the Paramount Pictures. "Witness again saw her at 5.45 p.m. *sho was opposite tho picture theatre. A MISSING RING. Richard M. LecWie, storeman in tho employ of the Wellington Harbour Hfciard, deposed that at 9.30 a.m. on

March 2Sth he saw tho body floating face downwards in the vicinity of Clyde quay wharf. The hat was on, but tho hair on the left side of tho head was hanging down. When tho body was salved he noticed that there was no ring on any finger. Constable W. J. Cosgrove gave corroborative evidence. FURTHER EVIDENCE REQUIRED. At this stage, Chief-Detective Ward mentioned that ho had one other witness, a man who. on tho morning of March 26th, picked up a small leather bag containing some peppermint lollies near the boat harbour in Clyde quay. Unfortunately, the man had destroyed tho bag. then there was another man who, on tho night of March 24th, heard a woman cryirig in tho rcservo near the boat harbour. Mr Riddoll intimated that ho would like tho oridencc of the man who had found the bag. and the inquiry was then adjourned until 9.20 a.m. to-mor-row for that purpose.