THE MASTER MINO.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14986, 13 August 1919, Page 5

THE MASTER MINO.

DECISION IX WHAN CARET CAFE

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND; last night, . The case against Pearl 'Burke, indicted of having aided and abetted m the suicide of Jessie West,* at Whanga-.-oi, on June 2, came bef pro the^ Supreme tVuvt. when Mr. .Justice Gh'apmlin ' cjiade /ins charge to the Grand Jury on the Ift'al aspect of the indictment.

His Honor traversed the idLis as placed on the depositions, pointing out that the young "woman West, though obviously m a morbid condition of mind m consequence of circumstances sur-', rounditig her marriage and -tier tendeii'iy. towards spiritualistic seances, \vss apparently of considerable determin.iT.ion. of character and strength and wilh It nppeared that Pearl Burke, was 'a- rather Aveak-\yilled youiig /woman, and' was strongly influenced by the other woman. P. further^ seemed tliat .she stood by passively while Jessie. West committed suicide, and there. -was evidence ' that /he did so at the- behest 'of Jessie West, -who.! s'ecjned to be the/master mind. If it had been/ a' : mail Avho. stood passively by r.jjd/ watched a person: deliberately commit suicide. one would think strongly of Jiis conduct, but the circumstances here were different. , , "

The Grand Jury returned no bill m the l ease.

His Honor stated that he quite agreed with the finding of the jury. It seemed to him that the unfortunate woman who had committed suicide was the leading mind and that the part played by Pearl Burke was an entirely passive one. /On the. 'other hand, it 'was a proper action oh the part of the police to have the circumstances made the subject of a charge, and;" for the magistrate to have committed'accused, so that the whole matter miffht be fully investigated , and mathnle/vr." '■