DROWNING FATALITIES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11476, 6 February 1905, Page 5

DROWNING FATALITIES.

Supposed Suicide of a Woman.

Another drowning fatality has- to b£ added to the list of those recorded in -the Wanganui River, ;as on Saturday afternoon -at about 3.15 a woman: who had been seen wading about, in the water. on the Sedgebrook side» of the river, opposite Wilton's chemist's shop, was noticed to disappear. Information was at once given to "the police; and Sergeant - Norwood and Constable Hadler were quickly at the Bcerie, and commenced t^o drag for body. Dragging operations, Jn which several'*civilians (including Mr Itobert' Sharpe) -assisted, were continued ' until dark, aridv^esumed again yesterday, but no sign of ;the body, was discovered." Tile/banks of th» river were carefully searched, "and-a> youth dived into one or two holes iv the'vicinity, but without 'result, 'an>T it-, is thought that the body must have been, washed' into the channel, in which' case v: it is scarcely likely to be found until the ninth day, if then. Some apparel was found on the bank, end with it a small handbag, containing, among other things, a box of pills bearing the name "Mrs King.". Inquiries elicited the fact that a yo,img' woman, a widow,' of that name, was-e.raployed. as housekeftpor by Mr Harry Tr"eadweJl£ who. resides some f two miles beyond Aramoho." Mrs King left the house at abdiit iß.3tt r p'cloQk on. Saturday morning, ' and, .haying kissed and gpod : bye.,,to,fone.-of , Mr . Tre'adwell> ch'iidreh, she proceede<j..;t;o- -Gross, a pa'ddpck.,at the. back of -the house, taking a .direction leadingi-to-a creek in which there is 'a deep -waterhole.' A. gate, which it was necessary for. her -to pass was locked, and Mrs King then returned "to the house, and inquired what time^he'- train left for -New Plymouth, adding- that she • intended, .'to go home to her father., who resides in tiat towni Ske said she would go into town first and- return fat her things: She then appears to have gone over to the Eastown side of the- river, walked some distance down the bank, and ; taken off her skirt, which she placed in some rushes. She then retraced her steps, "going.- some fifty yards up'-streamj ' where' site 'took' off ' her blouse, hatj boots, and gloves, as well as a neckband with' a gold brooch in it. She was afterwards seen, in Jhe river, wearing the remainder of hex clpthes. She "was wading about on the sandbank for. over an hour, when she was seen to .- go underneath the water. She reappeared on the surface, and was heard to call* out. - She sank twice after that, and then ' disappeared altogether. While she .was, wading about Jn. the water a crew from one w of tho rowing sheds passed her, but took her for a Maori womat having a bath, and did not trouble any more atxmt- her.;;.. lt is said that a number, of people \jsaw- the woman disappear, but made, no, efforts to get a boat .-to go to her . assistance. An entry found in. a Bible belonging, to deceased showsthat her name was Mrs: Many King, a widow, of about -34 years, 6£ age, her husband having predeceased her -about- eight years ago, about eighteen months after marriage. Deceased waV-a 'daughter' of • Mr • Alexander Anderson,- of New- Plymouth, and a niece of Mr Anderson, of Taupo Quay. The opinioiLiseems "to' be that the unfortunate woman was suffering from mental'derangement, brougfit 'oil 'through grief, aad that it was a case of suicide. '