TWO DEATHS

Southland Times, Issue 22052, 27 June 1933, Page 6

TWO DEATHS

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TRAGEDY AT HASTINGS POISONING SUSPECTED (Per United Press Association.) Hastings, June 26. A young married woman, a Hastings resident named Anderson and her four-year-old daughter are dead under circumstances which point to poisoning and her six-year-old son is an inmate of the Hastings Memorial Hospital recovering from simliar effects. The mother and her two children were discovered about seven last evening all obviously in a serious condition, the mother and her young child dying despite the efforts of the doctor to save them. The boy responded under treatment and is reported to be in a satisfactory condition. Mrs Anderson, who was the wife of William Herbert Anderson, was aged about 30 years. Her husband is at present on relief work in Hastings. The husband and his wife together with their two children, lived in a room at the residence of the husband's parents. Mrs Anderson, sen., hearing one of the children crying, went to the room of her daughter-in-law where she discovered both the children and the deceased in circumstances which indicated poisoning. Mrs Anderson, jun., was writhing in agony while the little girl, Verna, appeared to be dead. At this time the husband was in town, arriving home not long after the discovery was made. Mrs Anderson died soon after the doctor’s arrival. It is understood that the deceased woman had been in ill-health for some time and until recently had been an inmate of the Hastings Hospital. She had lately had a tendency to melancholia.