“MORAL GUILT.”

Western Star, 6 December 1935, Page 4

“MORAL GUILT.”

WIFE’S SUICIDE. HUSBAND’S POSITION. CORONER’S SCATHING COMMENT. I On the day a young wife came out ofi a. maternity hospital after she was deserted by her husband for! another girl, according to allegations at{ Leicester. The story was told at an ina quest on Mrs Olive Woods, 24, of Wigston Lane, who poisoned herself with a) disinfectant. The husband, Harry, Woods, engineer, giving an address ini another part of the city, stated that his wife and he moved to Leicester from Northampton 18 months ago. Hie Radi found difficulty in getting along with hia wife, and for some time past there had; been trouble about another woman with whom he was friendly. In the middl e of August Mrs Woods went into a maternity hospital, andgave birth to a daughter, and on September 6 returned home with the child. That day he left her in the house andi went to lodge with a friend. He had visited her three times since, the last occasion being September 16, when they discussed a separation. Coroner: Did you discuss this other woman?—Woods : Not at the time.

,‘his woman is living in the same house as you?—-Yes.—Did your wife say any-I thing about it? —I don’t recollect. 1 Was she jealous about the other, woman?—Yes. You deserted your wife; on the day she canie out of the maternity hospital?—l left her on that day.) De s erted, I said. It’s the siame things isn’t it?—Yes.

Whit have you to My about it?—Wei quarrelled when we were together, and[ I thought if slie was provided for it! would be best to part. j You realise that your conduct has been; the cause of your wife taking her life?— No. Well, the sooner you know it the bet-! ter. My view is that although you; are not- legally guilty, you ar 6 morally! 80. THE KINDLY NEIGHBOUR. •“This other woman,’ said the coroner, subsequently,, ‘has been the cause of thef trouble. Married people sometimes! quarrel, but it is a serious thing when a! husband takes up with another woman.l Your wife seems to have cared for you! and to have brooded about this matter-! I am not here to punish you. The only/ punishment must be your own con-! science.” > A neighbour gave evidence that* Mrs! Woods had been very depressed and had! said she was worrying about another woman. After leaving hospital she mentioned that her husband had left her, and asked witness to care for her baby on the following day, She did not arrive as promised, and wjtnes s called at the! house, but could get no reply. Coroner : I understand that you have taken charge of the baby and are caring for it. You have been a very good) friend indeed. While the coroner was reading a let-( ; ,a man stood up in court and said! that he was the writer, and father ofi the girl for whom Woods had deserted) his wife. Invited to givo evidence, he stated! that hi» name was Moreton, and that Woods had been associating with hisi daughter, who was 19, for some months;) Moreton himself had only recently dis-< covered the position and had got in) touch with Mrs Woods in an endeavour; “to try and sD’eighteii matters out.” Recording a verdict of suicide while of v.asounci mind, the corone r remarked, that it was enough to upset any woman’s mind to come out of hospital and find herself deserted. The knowledge of his I'rr’ect of a moral respon-i sibilifcy woii'.j remain with Woods for many a long day.