FOUND DROWNED.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12429, 23 August 1933, Page 2

FOUND DROWNED.

WOMAN IN DEPRESSED STATE. The adjourned inquest touching the death of Constance Agues Tester, found drowned near the Mangataiuoka River on Wednesday, August 16th, was held yesterday morning at the Pahiatua Magistrate s Court before Mr J. D. Wilson, District Coroner. Constable W. Houston conducted the case for the police. William Thomas Edward Ridley, f a rm-er residing in Cambridge Street said his farm is bounded on the west side by the Mangatainoka River He was working fencing there on 16tli inst. at about noon, and went down to see one of ins rows near the river. It was then he sa.tr a body lying on the beach. It was that of a woman lying on her back, close to the water's edge. He could not identify the body, nor did he touch it at all. It appeared \ +6 hull as if the body had been lying on the bailie for some time. The distance from the town traffic bridge was about three-quarters of a mile. Witness proceeded to the ponce and advised Constable Houston of his discovery. He could not say if the river had been in flood just previously because he had been on a visit to Makmri. Wesley Houston, police constable stationed at Pahiatua, said that about 9 p.m. on Sunday, 13th inst., Mrs F. Boyle, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, reported to him that the deceased had been missing since about 9 p.m. on lltli inst. Witness made many inquiries but failed to tra-e her. On the night of 14th inst., in company with deceased’s husband, he made a search of her room at the hotel and found that the bed liad not been slept in and tliat all her belongings were still there. Lying on the duchess was a partly-written letter bearing the acl,dress: ‘Pahiatua, Commercial Hot< 1.” and commencing with : “Darling Bob.” This letter was written in an affectionate but very disconsolate strain, deploring that their friendship liad been terminated. The letter was unsigned, but it appeared as if it had been written quite recently, . said witness In the room he also found a sealed letter addressed to “Mr Bob Oxley, Main Street, Pahiatua.” This letter, also affectionately addressed, contained the following undated note: “You understand, don’t you, old dear? Good-bye.—Molly.” After this, witness said he continued inquiries and on the Tuesday lie searched the Mangatainoka River but failed to find any trace of deceased. About 12.30 p.m. oil 16th inst. Wm. T. E. Ridley reported to witness that lie had discovered the dead body of a woman lying by the edge of the river. Witness said he examined the body. There was a fairly swift current in the river just immediately above where the body was lying. Tile body was fully clothed, b’ut had no hat on. It showed signs of having been in the water for some days hut otherwise presented a normal appearance. There were no marks of violence on the body which witness could find. There was a wristlet watc-h on the left wrist which had stopped at 8J minutes past 3. In one of the pockets was a key to her room at the hotel. The body was moved to the morgue, where it was examined by Dr. H. Paterson, who also performed a post-mortem examination. Witness knew the deceased when she was previously in Pahiatua about lo months ago. She was somewhat addicted to liquor and was employed then at the Commercial and Rutland Hotels. Just prior to leaving Pahiatua he thought she was staying at Mr F. Cosford’s home for a while. The constable said he knew the Ma ngatainoka River was somewhat swollen about the date the deceased was reported missing, but it had gone down considerably by the 16th inst. Hugh Paterson, medical practitioner, practising in Pahiatua, deposed that on Thursday, 17th inst. be made a post-mortem examination on the body of deceased. There was considerable post-mortem staining on the anterior surface of the body, particularly on the face. There was a depression on the left side of the lace extending from the cheek-bone to the lower jaw. There were no marks of violence. An internal examination of the body disclosed that the lungs contained a muddy froth, tile stomach a considerable amountof water. The other organs were normal. In his opinion death had een caused by drowning. The postmortem staining on the anterior surface showed that immediately after death, the body had come to rest lying on its face and the groove on the left side of the face would, in witness’ opinion, be caused by the pressure of a stone. There was definitely no trace of the deceased being in a certain state. Evelyn Bird, waitress employed at the Commercial Hotel, said she commenced duty there on 3rd inst. and knew the deceased, who was staying at the hotel when witness first went there to work. Deceased occupied Room 18 on the first floor, almost opposite to that of witness. Deceased was known as “Molly” Tester and was there on holiday, they became friendly. On the 11th mst. at 9.15 p.m. witness last saw deceased alive. From 8.30 p.m. till J.lo p.m. she was in the room of witness who was in bed at the time, then as far as witness knew, deceased went to her own room There was no one about at the time. No conversation of a personal nature passed between them except that .Mrs tester said she was feeling tired and fed up. Before she went out she asked witness to leave her door unlocked as she might he back in a lew minutes. Witness dozed off to sleep m a lew minutes and never saw deceased alive again. She was. missing the next day. Deceased had only a few drinks at times while staying at the hotel, but never much. Once she went into the pantry and then witness smelt drink on her, or rather methylated spirits. Asked what she had been drinking deceased, said, “two glasses of stout.” But witness remained of the opinion that she had had methylated spirits. A bottle of methylated spirits was kept in the pantry for cleaning silverware and deceased Jcnew it was there. On Friday, 11th

inst., witness noticed that a small quantity or the spirits had gone from rlie bottle but she could not say who actually took it. Deceased did not talk to witness about her private affairs other than to mention that she had been keeping company while in Pahiatua with Mr “Bob” Oxley, but was not at that time There was nothing to indicate ’ why she liad been upset. She appeared to he very despondent and very upset at times, but she never said why.

Frances Boyle, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, said the deceased came to stay at the hotel about 7.30 p.m. on :29th July Jast. She said she wanted to stay for a week and witness gave her room 2so'. 18. Deceased appeared as if she had been drinking very heavily. She stayed until 11th inst. and witness last saw her on the Friday afternoon. She was missing the following day and witness went up to call her, but found the door locked. The licensee said she thought deceased had probably gone away for the day as she was in the habit of doing so, and not telling anyone where she had gone. When she did not appear on the Sunday witness got a bit anxious and secured another key to room 18, only to find that the bed had not been slept in and the deceased’s belongings were still in the room. Becoming suspicious the licensee reported the matter to the police. Witness removed nothing from the room. When witness first took over the hotel deceased was working ‘there. Three months later witness dismissed her owing to her drinking habits. On the occasion of her recent visit deceased did not drink very heavily and though she had a “spot” or two occasionally witness never saw her under the influence. She seemed, however, to be very depressed and worried. On one occasion she remarked that she was

“fed up’’ and did not have much in life to live lor, but she never said why. She never mentioned anything about taking her own life and witness never suspected her of doing anything like that. Thomas Reginald Oxley, a jeweller employed by his father in Pahintua, said he had known the deceased as “Molly” Tester for three or four years. He first met her when she was employed as waitress at the Commercial Hotel and became friendly with her. They were quite good pals. The friendship continued up to the time she left the hotel aboutlo months ago. He fancied that she went to the Rutland Hotel after that and eventually left Pahiatua. But their friendship was broken off before that. On Monday July 31st last, witness saw deceased who 'came in to Ins father’s shop. They talked together for a few minutes, chiefly about business and her present position. She looked very well and did not appear to be worried. She mentioned that she had an idea she might go hack to her husband and witness told her that if possible it was the best tiling she could do. Deceased requested him to meet her that night to go to a. party, but he declined. He saw her on one occasion after that and he fancied it was in the office of the Commercial Hotel seweral days before she was missed. He was not speaking to her on that occasion and it was the last time he saw her alive. He was told that before her death deceased wrote two letters to him and he could not understand why she did. so. He presumed the note was meant for him, though he did not know. He identified the haudr-writing. Although they had been great pals 15 months ago deceased was quite reconciled to their friendship being, broken off and he therefore could not understand her leaving the two notes. She might have written them to any of her friends. He could offer no suggestion as to why she should take her own life. She was rather h ighly , strung and had a tendency to be excitable. Witness could not understand the strain of the letter deceased wrote and left referring to the breaking, of bis heart because he had never expressed such a sentiment. Answering the Coroner, witness admitted that he and deceased used to be very friendly and he sometimes took her to pictures etc. Since- her departure she had written one or two letters, some in connection with business. The Coroner said there was no doubt about the fact that the deceased. took her own life by drown-

ing in the Mangatainoka River on August 11, while in a depressed state ol mind and his verdict would be accordingly. Mr Wilson said that a Coroner liad a right to go further than that and find the cause of death. Deceased apparently was in a distressed state of mind, according to the evidence, and only one cause appeared to- come 1o light; that was the relationship which had < xisted between the deceased and “Bob” Oxley. Apparently deceased had been anxious for the relationship to continue and Oxley refused to allow this. He refused to meet her and the only conclusion that any reasonable person could come to was that, her action was mainly owing to the fact that there was an intimate friendship between the pair which lie declined to carry on. “I am not saying.” concluded the Coroner, “that lie liad no light to end it, but no one has any right to lead a woman oil to a condition that gives her distress.”