YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11957, 16 March 1917, Page 3

YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

SUSPICIOUS CJItCUMSTAXt'ES. EVIDENCE AT IXQUKST. An inquest; wns held at the Christehurch Con rthouso yesterday by Mr T. A. B. Bailey, Coroner, into the eireum.vuuoe.s tfirrounding tiro death of Amnio Caldwell, a single woman, twenty-two '.ears of age. which took place on Wednesday. Dr T. L. C'rooke stated that ho had heJd j!, post-mortem examination on the body of the deceased. Ho described <.hc conditions ho found, and ga.id that tho cause of death was tox.emiu- following fin» septic peritonitis. To Sub-inspector Mullany: He was of the opinio;! that, some instrument maj' have been used to promote miscarriage. Jane Cndby, wife of the licensee of the lied .Lion Hotel, Rangiora, stated that .Miss Caldwell had b.vu in her employ for about twelve months and had enjoyed good health up till recently. Ou Monday, March o, Miss Caldwell, -who had been on a. week-end visit to Christehurch, returned to llangiora and complained of feeling unwell. She said she thought «he had a cold, and went to bed until the following Thursday. No improvement being manifest, witness sout for Dr Will on Friday, March 9, and he advised Miss Calchvell to go to tho Hospital for treatment. She, however, preferred going home to her mother's place. On tho following Sunday she went homo by motor-car, accompanied by witness unci a .Mr Wilson. To Sub-Inspector Mullany: Sh>> made no mention, to her of being jn trouble, and witness had no idea thai; such, was the cn.se. Joseph Wilson, horse trainer; Rangiora, gave evidence to the effect that he had known Miss Caldwell a little over three months, and had been keeping company with her during that period. To Sub-Inspector Mullany: She had not complained to him before Monday, March 5, of being unwell. Stic* then told witness that she was suffering from a chill. Witness suggested getting a doctor, hut sho said she would be ail right next day. Sub-Inspector Mullany: When did you see her again? Witness: The following morning, when she said .she felt slightly better. To Sub-Inspector Mullany: II t; and Mrs Cudby accompanied. Miss Caldwell to her home. 'He was not engaged to her. He had seen her during he:- weekend visit to Christehurch. and had accompanied her to the Opera House. He did. not know whether she had been keeping company with anyone else. Tho mother of deceased stated that her daughter was •• aged twenty-two years at the time of her death. The first intimation she had of her daughter's illness was hist Saturday, when she received a letter from Mrs Cudby. Her daughter returned home on the Sunday, and died on Wednesday morning. To Sub-Inspector Mullany: Witness was not aware of the serious 'nature of her daughter's illness, and did not think ib was necessary to -get a doctor. A verdict was returned that deceased had died from toxremia, as the- result of septic pelvic peritonitis, presumably eapred through miscarriage, and that further investigation should bo- made.