NATURAL CAUSES

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1935, Page 6

NATURAL CAUSES

DEATH OF MRS. DUDDING. ADJOURNED INQUEST CONCLUDED. A verdict in keeping with the evidence of Dr. D. Steven,, who made a postmortem examination and found that death was caused by pulmonary embolism, was given by the coroner, Mr. W. L. Kennedy, at an inquest at Stratford yesterday into the circumstances leading to the death of 01:/e Estelle Dudding, a married woman 26 years of age, with one child, who died on Sunday night. Evidence of identification and a brief inquiry were taken on Monday, but the’ inquest was adjourned till yesterday pending a post-mortem examination which was made by Dr. Steven. Dr. Steven said death was due to blocking of the artery from the heart to the lungs. Mrs. Dudding had been pregnant for four months, and an infection arising from her condition was indirectly the cause of her death. There was no evidence of outside interference in any form. Constable W. R. Rae said Mrs. Dudding was 26 years of age and was separated from her husbr.nd. For some time past she was employed at the boardinghouse of Mrs. Greenbanks, Broadway South. He was unable to find any marks of violence when he examined the body on Sunday night. John R. Swindlehurst, labourer contracting at Mata and residing at Greenbanks’, said he drove Mrs. Dudding to New Plymouth on Sunday and returned to Stratford about 7.50 p.m., when he took her to Reynolds’ house in Cloton Road. He returned there for her at about 8.50 p.m. She went to the bedroom to put on her hat. Mr. Reynolds called to his wife, saying that Mrs. Dudding appeared to be ill, and Swindlehurst went to a neighbour’s, where he telephoned to Dr. B. B. Armstrong. When the doctor arrived he said Mrs. Dudding was dead. Swindlehurst had known Mrs. Dudding for the past three months, and first took her to a dance at Tututawa on February 14. He had never heard her complain of ill-health except on Sunday, when she complained of internal pains. While he was in the dining-room on Sunday night he heard Mns. Dudding go into the bedroom, said John Reynolds, car salesman. Mrs. Dudding called out to ask where the face powder was and after he had told her he heard a groan which at first he thought was from the baby, but on hearing the sound repeated he went into the bedroom, calling his wife at the same time. Mrs. Dudding was lying on her back across the bed. She was gasping for breath and her face was blue.