FATAL INFATUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23341, 5 November 1937, Page 15

FATAL INFATUATION

GIRL POISONS HERSELF ASSOCIATION WITH MARRIED MAN CORONER'S SEVERE COMMENT (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Nov. 4. "For the rest of your life you can consider that the death of this child is practically due to your callousness," declared Mr F. K. Hunt, coroner, addressing a young married man, Leslie William Reanney, at an inquest held at Henderson to-day into the death of June Carter, aged 18, who fatally collapsed after drinking poison at Whenuapai on October 7. The coroner found that the poison had been selfadministered while the girl was under great distress. The parents of the girl, Mr and Mrs H. Carter, of Whenuapai, were represented by Mr R. P. Hunt. Mr R. Elcoat appeared on behalf of Reanney, who was the principal witness. Constable 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 years and a-half ago through her calling at the store almost daily as a customer. " She appeared to have become infatuated with me, and I could not break her of it," Reanney continued. "About two years and a-half ago, o. account of the girl's attitude towards 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 I went to Auckland on an average of once a week and she would sit in my motor car waiting for me to return."

One day, witness said, when he and his wife returned from a visit to Auckland they found the key of the house missing and on investigation June Carter was found lying on a bed on the sleeping porch. He noticed the key on a ledge near the bed and alongside' it there was a glass containing crystals which resembled sugar. While he was looking at it the girl rose and -q ; d. "Here, give me that," out he walked outside and threw it away on ihe Subsequently, his wife told the deceased that she would tell the police if she did not go and she left almost immediately. At 10 a.m. on the following day, October 7, witness said he was cutting wood in the yard when he looked up and saw the girl standing about four paces from him. She was holding a small glass jar containing a milky liquid which he thought was cream He went into the house and informed his wife of th" deceased's return and she said she would inform the police. Witness went back to the yard to remonstrate with the girl and when he knocked the liquid out of her hand she said, "If that won' ■ work I have plenty more that will," A few minutes later witness heard the girl attempting to vomit in the shrubbery and on his way to her 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. She collapsed, however, and died before the arrival of a doctor whom they summoned. Mr R. P. Hunt: You say you became acquainted with the girl. When did that acquaintanceship turn into something more intimate?—lt did not. Do you mean to say there was never anything more than mere acquaintanceship with this girl —A strong friendship. Did you ever kiss her?—Yes. Witness admitted that he had promised he would have nothing more to do with June. Mr Hunt: Have you honoured your promise given in 1935 that you would have nothing to do with the girl Yes, of my own volition. How many times since she left Whenuapai has she been in your company in Auckland?—Quite a few times. I suppose you will say you told your wife about them?—Not every time. Did you ever go to dances in Auckland at which the girl was present?— Not that I can remember. The coroner: Anyway, your friendship with this girl continued right up till the time of the tragedy. 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, who lived only 400 yards away. The girl would have been alive now if you had taken her to her parents. The wife of the previous witness, Dorothy Reanney, said there had been no trouble between witness and her husband. The association with the girl had been rather forced upon him. Evidence was given by 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 would do his best not to see June any more." He said that beyond kissing her no harm had been done.

The mother of the girl, Alexa Carter, said she had been worried by her daughter's association with Reanney, and had many talks with her on the subject. " The finding is that the cause of the death of this girl was due to poison, self-administered while under great distress," the coroner stated at the close of the evidence. "It is apart from my duty, but I cannot help feeling 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 Reanney, the coroner said that for the rest of his life he 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 have done had he wanted Instead, he had constantly encouraged her, with the result that when she heard he was giving up the store she had greatly distressed herself.