SHARP COMMENT BY CORONER

Southland Times, Issue 23716, 14 January 1939, Page 9

SHARP COMMENT BY CORONER

HUSBAND’S LACK OF CONSIDERATION

MOTHER MURDERS SON AND COMMITS SUICIDE

(United Press Association) ROTORUA, January 13. "I do not think that I can ; complete this inquiry without commenting briefly upon the inconsiderate attitude of the husband toward his wife,” said the Coroner, Mr W. L. Richards, today at the conclusion of. the inquest into the death of Gladys Lane, a married woman, aged 40 years, and Lewis Cottington, aged nine years, Mrs Lane s son by a previous marriage. Mrs Lane was found lying on a bed in a bach in Ti street, Rotorua, early on the morning of January 5 suffering from a deep gash in the throat while beside her on the bed lay the body of her son with a rope wound tightly round his throat. Mrs Lane was not dead when the discovery was made by her husband shortly before 8 a.m., but she died some hours later in the Rotorua hospital. The Coroner, in returning a verdict that the boy died from strangulation inflicted by his mother and that the mother died from wounds self-inflict-ed, said that it must have been evident to the husband that his wife was in a delicate state of health. At the opening of the inquest for identification purposes Lane had appeared overwhelmed by grief, but subsequent evidence had disclosed that he was not very considerate towards his wife during a critical period. Although he did not consider that the tragedy was altogether avoidable because of the woman’s state of mind, he suggested to the husband that it was preferable to have shown consideration during the woman’s lifetime rather than an abundance of tears after her death. That kind of sorrow was frequently of very questionable sincerity. ACTED IN BRAINSTORM Medical evidence was given to the effect that the woman’s injuries were self-inflicted while those of the boy were not Dr H. Bertram said he had been attending Mrs Lane for some time. She was in a certain condition which would tend to cause nervous unrest and it was possible she had caused the injuries’responsible for her own death and that of the boy during a brainstorm caused by puerperal insanity. She frequently attempted to discuss her domestic troubles witn him. stating that she was not happy with her husband and that he was trying to get her money away from her. Mr R. B. Chadwick, who appeared to watch the interests of the estate of Mrs

Lane, said Mrs Lane had ap- # proximately £lOOO when she married Lane, but had very little when she died. He asked witness whether Mrs Lane gave him any indication what happened to the money. Dr Bertram said she did not, but she told him she would not separate from her husband because if she did he would get her money. He advised her to see a solicitor to see whether she could get matters straightened out. Arthur Leicester Lane, aged 27 years, a carpenter, husband of Mrs Lane, said he married her at Wellington in May 1938. The boy lived with them when they came to • Rotorua. He said that for a fortnight before the tragedy his wife had been in a very nervous and upset condition. On December 31 they had a difference of opinion about the motor-car and he removed his sleeping quarters from the bedroom to the garage. On the. evening 'before the tragedy when he returned from work he found her in bed. She seemed very worried, but he did not take a great deal of notice as she had been like that for some time. He was awakened at about dawn next morning by his wife knocking on the door of the garage. She was weeping and wanted him to return to the bedroom so “they could part friends.” He refused, telling her not to be silly. She went away saying: “Don’t blame me for anything I might do.”

When he went across to the house to get his breakfast he found his wife’s bedroom door locked. He procured the key and found her lying on the bed with a deep gash in her throat, but still breathing. The boy was lying beside her almost covered by the bedclothes. He immediately summoned the police and doctor. There was a letter on the dressing table. CRUELTY DENIED Witness denied that he had ever been cruel to his wife or that he had ill-treated her. Asked by Detective White how he explained the statement made by Mrs Lane in a letter to her daughter in Auckland that he had nearly knocked her head off her shoulders and that he was a cur and a bully, he said he

could not explain why she should write such a letter. Their married life Had been happy until she became so irritable that he left their bedroom and went to sleep in the garage. Questioned by Detective White, Lane said that he did not know that his wife’s bank book showed that her account had dwindled from a credit of £6OO 4/- a few months ago to £l6 before her death. He had had nothing from her with the exception of a few pounds while he was in Wellington. He admitted he had not been as considerate as he might have been to her before her death, but he denied the general allegations of cruelty and neglect. Evidence was given by Emma Stock, who resided in another section of the house occupied by the Lanes, and by James Shannon, a labourer, who occupied a room adjoining the garage in which Lane was sleeping. Both said that they had seen some signs of unhappy relations between Mr and Mrs Lane, but Miss Stock said she had seen nothing which justified the terms used by Mrs Lane in her letters about her husband.