GIRL'S SAD DEATH.
FOUND HANGING IN SHED.
TRAGEDY AT WHEATSTONE.
A fatality of a distressing nature was reported from Wheatstone this morning, a young girl having been found dead on her father's farm.
Gabriel Whearty, aged 16, a daughter of Mr and Mrs Martin Whearty, was found hanging from a rafter in a shed about 9.30 o'clock this morning.
Deceased was seen entering the dairy by her brother about 9 o'clock and when he went into the building about half an hour later he found the body suspended from a beam. It is stated that the girl had been enjoying good health.
An inquest was opened before the District Coroner (Mr R. Clark) at Wheatstone this afternoon. -Ashburton Guardian, 14/7/1933.
SUICIDE BY HANGING.
INQUEST INTO DEATH OF GIRL.
THE WHEATSTONE TRAGEDY.
A verdict that she had committed suicide by hanging was returned by the District Coroner (Mr R. Clark) at the inquest yesterday afternoon into the death of Gabriel Teresa Whearty, aged 16, who was found hanging by a rope from a rafter in a shed on her father s farm at Wheatstone about 9.30 o’clock yesterday morning.
Martin Whearty, father of deceased, gave evidence of identification. He stated that he last saw his daughter alive about 7.30 a.m. When his son Terence told him that the girl had hanged herself about 9.30 o clock, witness went to the shed where he found deceased hanging. She had been of a bright disposition and during the morning she was of the same disposition. The rope which deceased had used was in position the day before, when witness bad used it for weighing barley. He knew of no reason why deceased should take her life. There had been no quarrel of any sort; she was a healthy girl and she had never threatened to commit suicide.
Frances Whearty, mother of deceased, said she last saw her daughter between 9.10 a.m. and 9.15 a.m. at the back of the washhouse and dairy. They were both going into Ashburton and her daughter was making preparations. Witness said she knew of no quarrel or trouble of any nature, either at home or with outsiders. Her daughter had always enjoyed perfectly good health.
Terence Joseph Whearty, aged 10, said he found his sister hanging from a rope when he went into the shed about 9.25 o’clock. He immediately told his father and he released her. He said he had never heard his sister threaten to take her life and he did not notice any difference in her yesterday morning.
Constable R. P. Chibnall gave evidence as to the finding of the body where it had been left after being released from the rope. He said he did not think, from the condition of the loop, that the rope could have got there accidentally. -Ashburton Guardian, 15/7/1933.
COLLAPSED AND DIED.
YOUNG WHEATSTONE FARMER
HELPING FATHER WITH SHEEP
Noel Martin Whearty, aged 22, collapsed and died while helping to yard some sheep on his father’s farm at Wheatstone last evening.
It is stated that the young man, who was on foot at the time, slipped and fell. After picking himself up he mentioned to his father that he had hurt himself. Shortly afterwards he collapsed and died. Dr. J. Connor, of Ashburton, was called to the scene, but could only pronounce life extinct.
Mr Martin Whearty, father of the young man, is head of a family which is well known in the Ashburton County and which has been at Wheatstone for many years. An inquest was opened before the District Coroner (Mr E. C. Bathurst) late this afternoon.
Martin Whearty, father of deceased, gave evidence of identification. Witness said that while he and his daughter, at about 8.30 p.m., were in a gig driving sheep into a paddock his son approached with the intention of turning the sheep. To do so he had to walk through tall grass and a small drain at a sharp angle to the roadway. Witness’s daughter told witness that deceased had fallen into the drain. Deceased, after getting out, leaned with his back against the gate, and later told witness that he had hurt his back. His father therefore advised him not to get into the gig. Witness walked in front of deceased and heard him fall. Deceased was in pain and was gritting his teeth. He asked for a drink, hut when this was brought deceased could not take it. He became unconscious and died. Deceased had told witness that he had hurt his back while “looking at witness instead of where he was going.” Deceased had some time ago received treatment to his back, where there was some muscle trouble, and he occasionally complained of pain in his back.
The Coroner’s verdict was that death was due to fracture of the third cervicle vertebrae, with haemorrhage, accidentally caused through a fall into a drain. -Ashburton Guardian, 4/1/1937.
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