THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15064, 10 February 1911, Page 2

THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY.

THE VICTIM IDENTIFIED. MURDER OR SUICIDE? '(Per United Press Association.) OHRISTCHURCH, February 9. The victim of the tragedy. which is assumed to have taken place in a right-of-way off Caehnl street yesterday morning has been identified as the former wife of a local resident. After obtaining a. decree against her husband she resumed her maiden name of Ethel Bradley. She was about 33 years of age, and belonged to' Lyttelton. At the time of her death she was employed in a domestic capacity at the residence of Mr G. T. Weston, Merivale, but ehe had only been thea'e two or three weeks.

She was seen by a nephew in Cashel street, near Ballarityne's, at five minutes to 8 on Tuesday night, and cheerfully acknowledged his "Good night." Next morning at 10 minutes pa&t 7 her dead body was found in the right-of-way, the appearances suggesting that it had been dragged by the neck to the place where it was discovered. The post mortem <'xanu'nation revealed the fact that the woman was pregnant, and that the stomach contained poison of some desoription. The victim comes of an old and highly-respectable Lyltelton family, and she has two brothers, both occupying responsible mercantile positions, in tlu's city. She also has a 6ister, but her parents are both dead.

What is creating considerable discussion is whether the mark on the ground, extending for 13ft from the woman's head, was caused by her being dragged or not. ■ In support of the theory that she was dragged are the abrasions on her face and under her jaw.

Dr Symes informed a reporter this morning that the marks on her neck and under her jaw were undoubtedly abrasions. It might be mentioned that , the marks are all on one eide of the face. The police theory is that the woman took poison herself, and that some other person with her—in all probability a male,— frightened and excited at the deed, had conveyed her to the spot where she was found. The police state that the body was certainly not in the right-of-way a't 2 a.m., ami that it must have been placed thero probably after life was extinct at 4 a.m.

The relatives of the young woman who were seen by a reporter, however, stoutly ox-pressed the opinion that the girl had been murdered. They state that she had never given the slightest indication of being depressed or about to take her life, and had actually arranged to go with one of her brothers to the theatre on Wednesday night. On being asked if the deceased had any attachment the relatives replied that they had their suspicions, and gave details, which for obvious reasons cannot be mentioned at this juncture. Another acquaintance of the deceased describes her as of comely appearance, but says that she was ever of a morbid and sulky nature, and confided very little to her relatives and friends. She had for some time been acting as housekeeper to various resident* in the city. Her employer first miesed her yesterday morning. The last person known to have eeen her is her nephew, who spoke to her at 7.55 p.m.

The local detective force is busily investigating the circumstances surrounding the case, much good work having been already done, particularly by Detective Eade and Gibson. It is probable that more light will be let into the whole matter in a day or two. The woman's hat is missing. It is a black one, trimmed with ribbon. Its discovery might afford a clue.

The scene of the affair proved a powerful attraction for the morbid-minded today, largo numbers of persons visiting the lane. Two men who were seen by a constable in Cashel street no groat. distance from the sceno of tho tragedy about 2 a.m. yesterday were taken to the polico station this morning and closely interrogated, but wore not further detained in connection with tho matter. Tho'man from whom the deceased obtained a divorce is named John Far-rant, and is employed as a steward on a steamer. Tho inquest has been fixed for to-morrow morning.

It is understood that the result of the analysis of the stomach of the victim will not bo ready for the inquest to-morrow, and that so far the analyst has not lound any traces of poison, but this ia not final, na a tedious process has to be followed boloi'c such traocs aro detected,