INQUEST.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 1349, 16 January 1879, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inqupsl was hold on Tuesday last at Mr Fritl's residence, Waitohi Flat, by A. LeG. Campbell, Esq., Coroner, oa the body of Mary Connor. Mr Michael McCabo was chosen foreman of the jury, and the following evidence was given : — Peter Friel : Mary Connor, the deceased, wns m my service us housemaid and dairymaid. I last caw her alive about six o'clock on the morning of January 13th and I did not notice anything particular about her then. She was passing along the passage. Sho generally went out about that time to milk the cows. About half past eight or nine o'clock as she had not come back I culled out at the back door for her, but got no answer. My wife hud gono down to Trmiika about half-past six thut morning and I was loft alone. I then went, with a child mmy arms to see i I could see the girl. 1 went to the creek, as I had got alarmed, for the bank of the creek wbb very steep, and tho morning was wet. When I could find nothing of her m the creek, I concluded she had either gone with my wifo to Temuka or to Daniel Hannny's place. About half-pasc one m the alternoon I went to Mr. Coil's plnce, where my wife had to call on her way horns from Temuki, and found my wife thre, and told her I had not seen tho deceased cincc six o'clock. I said I wat> afraid she had been drowned m the creek when drawing water. I then came back directly with Charles Coll, got a folk and went into the creok, and Beurchcd oil the deepest pnrtß. By that time four or five other persons bad arrived. Some of them were standing by the loose box between the house and the hut, and I heard one of them cry out," She is here," and all went to the loose box. One of those present said she was hanged. I went to the door and looked m with two other persons, and could fee nothing at first, but afterwards caw her hanging from tho rafter. We then went m. Some proposed to leave her hanging, and some to cut her down. One peraon cut the rope, and as the place was too dirty to leave her there, we carried her to a hut. She exhibited no signs of life, and seemed guile cold. A person was sent to the Point to give information to the police, and ako to inform the girl's friends at Kerrytown. The deceased hnd been m my employment Borne eight nr nine months. She seemed to be always very quiet and dbtant, or unsociable. She always seemed to forget anything she had been told to do. By the Coroner : Tho second time I pnssed the loose box I shut the door, the bottom leaf being about a foot open. I put the bur ncroas, aud put the pin m. The calves were m the loose box, and I thought, from the appearance of the buckets m the hut, that they had been fed. I o&nnot assign the leust reason For the girl committing suicide. I am not aware if she had any sweetheart. I never thought of looking m the looso box for her, aa it wai so very dirty. Patrick M'lntyre gave corroborative evidence as to searching and finding the body of deceased. After a short consultation, the Jury returned a verdict to the effect— "That the deceased committed suicide while suffering from temporary insanity."