Agnes Weir, (1842-6/11/1880). "the ferocity of a tiger"

Agnes Weir, of Mornington, who was admitted into the Hospital yesterday afternoon suffering from the effects of a dose of poison, died in that institution at an early hour this morning. Her husband, John Weir, being out of employment, had resolved to go up country on a hawking tour, but this did not meet with her approval. This and other family troubles preyed on her mind until she resolved to take poison to end her life.  -Evening Star, 6/11/1880.

An inquest was held at the Hospital yesterday, before Dr Hocken, coroner, and a jury of 12, to elicit the circumstances attending the death of Agnes Weir, who poisoned herself by taking a dose of arsenic at Mornington on Friday morning last. It appears from the evidence that the deceased was found by her husband, John Weir, vomiting and in an exhausted state, about 10 o'clock. He at once brought in a neighbour named Mrs Lockhart, and the woman was ultimately sent to the Hospital. Weir said that he had a few words with his wife the previous night, and that she had admitted taking the poison in consequence. He described her as one possessing "the meekness of a dove and the ferocity of a tiger, but withal a fine woman." She had previously threatened self-destruction, and on one occasion swallowed some sulphate of copper. According to the testimony of Mrs Lockhart, Weir was using foul and abusive language to his wife when she arrived on the scene. The deceased said that she had been an ill-used woman all her life, and that it was on account of her husband calling her names the previous evening she had taken the poison. The Jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity, and the Coroner addressed Weir as follows: — "The Jury wish me to say to you that they consider the condition of mind spoken of in this verdict was caused by your own abusive language towards her, and they also consider that you are worthy of censure for not taking more care of this dangerous poison, knowing that she had frequently threatened to commit suicide, and had on a previous occasion actually taken poison. In that censure I concur."  -Otago Daily Times, 9/11/1880.