Captain James Cuthbert Mercer, (1888-30/6/1944). "50 flights around the earth"

CAPTAIN J. C. MERGER A VICTIM

FIVE OTHERS INJURED

P.A. NELSON, This Day. 

An Air Travel, Ltd. passenger plane, which left Nelson yesterday at 1 p.m. on its normal service to the West Coast, crashed on the bush slopes of Mount Hope near Kawatiri. The plane carried six passengers and a pilot. One passenger, was killed outright, and another died from injuries.

The victims were: —

Maurice Dawe, Hokitika, secretary of Air Travel, Ltd.; killed.

Captain J. C. Mercer, Hokitika, managing director of Air Travel, Ltd.; died of injuries.

Mrs. E. Russell, Westport, both legs broken; condition serious.

G. M. Strathmore, Wellington, believed fractured skull; condition satisfactory. 

Miss A. Patterson, matron of the Buller Public Hospital, Westport, broken leg. 

Flight Lieut. P. C. Lewis, the pilot, head, chest, and leg injuries. 

B. R. Perry, Wellington, shock, fractured rib; condition satisfactory. 

Mr. Strathmore is general manager of Macduffs, Ltd., Wellington, and Mr. Perry also belongs to that firm.

The trip to Westport was expected to take 1 hour 20 minutes, and petrol was carried for just over two hours. Flying weather was good on the Nelson side of the mountains, but there were isolated showers on the West Coast side. After 1 hour 50 minutes, when the plane had still not reached Westport, the fact that it was overdue was reported to Central Flying Control, Wellington, by the duty pilot at Nelson. Steps were immediately taken to organise a search. By that time the weather had deteriorated towards the West Coast, and over Marlborough conditions were so bad that no planes could be sent out.

PILOT COLLAPSES.

The first news of, the missing plane was received in Nelson at 11 o'clock last night from Mr. Arthur Hughes, a transport driver on the Nelson-West Coast run. He telephoned from Gowan Bridge to say that he had picked up one of the passengers, Mr. Perry, near Kawatiri. The plane had crashed in bush on the slopes of Mount Hope, about one and a half miles from the main Nelson-West Coast road. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant Lewis, had walked with Mr. Perry from the scene of the crash to within 150 yards of the road, where he collapsed as a result of injuries. The police at Murchison were advised and a search party was organised. When the search party reached the wreck they found that Mr. Dawe had been killed and that Captain Mercer had died from his injuries an hour and a half before their arrival. Matron Patterson, although suffering herself from a broken leg, had given first aid to the remainder of the party.

The search party, accompanied by the ambulance from Murchison, included Dr. Kurzweil, of Murchison, and Sister Owen, sister in charge of the Murchison Hospital. Another ambulance was sent out from the Nelson Public Hospital at about the same time. Dr. R. D. Lucas, of Nelson, and Constables Valentine and Squires accompanied this ambulance. In the meantime Mr. Hughes, the transport driver, and Mr. P. Diserens, of Gowan Bridge, had returned to Kawatiri to locate Flight Lieutenant Lewis, and they had him on the roadside when the party from Murchison arrived. He was treated by Dr. Kurzweil and sent.by ambulance to the Nelson Public Hospital, arriving there at about 4 o'clock this morning.

BRINGING OUT THE INJURED.

Dr. Lucas said that from what he could see in the dark and the pouring rain the pilot had made as good a landing as possible on a bush-covered ridge about four or five miles on the Nelson side of Kawatiri. The plane had crashed near a small creek, which Mr. Perry and Flight Lieutenant Lewis, had followed down to the main road. The bush was thick and the path very rough, and, although Dr. Lucas reached Kawatiri at 1 o'clock this morning it was 3.15 by the time he reached the plane. Rain was falling, and with only electric torches to help them, the rescue party had a very difficult task. Apart from relieving the pain of the injured, who were suffering from the cold, with morphia little could be done in the way of first aid. The two injured women and Mr Strathmore were tied to stretchers, and with six men to each the difficult task of bringing them down the rough mountain slope was commenced. It was 7.15 o'clock this morning when the party reached the road. The injured persons were brought on to the Nelson Public Hospital by ambulance, arriving shortly after 10 o'clock.

TRIBUTE TO INJURED WOMAN.

Dr. Lucas paid a tribute this morning to Miss Patterson, matron of the Buller Hospital, for her work in caring for the injured. She obtained morphia from the plane's first-aid kit and gave what relief she could to the other passengers. 

The hospital reported that none of the five injured was in any immediate danger. 

A DIFFICULT TASK.

Arrangements were made by the Nelson police to bring the bodies to Nelson today. The party will have a difficult task as the country in the Kawatiri district is rough and bushclad, with heavy undergrowth. The track to be traversed winds up a rocky creek bed and many obstacles will have to be overcome by the stretcher-bearers. 

The plane was a DH 84 De Havilland Dragon of the twin-engined type, which was acquired by Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., six months ago after being reconditioned. 

Wing Commander R. C. Kean, Inspector of Accidents, and Wing Commander R. A. Kirkup, Flight Superintendent of Civil Aviation, flew to Nelson this morning from Wellington.  -Evening Post, 1/7/1944.

PILOT'S COURAGE

FORCED LANDING MADE

FAILURE OF ONE ENGINE

(O.C.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday. It is revealed that the Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd. twin-engined De Havilland 'plane which crashed on Mount Hope on Friday got into difficulties shortly after leaving Nelson at 1.11 p.m. on Friday. Due to a cause yet undetermined, one of the engines failed. After a consultation, with the late Captain Mercer Flight-Lieutenant Lewis decided to make a forced landing. The country below was mountainous and covered with patches of bush. Visibility was bad, owing to mist and rain, but as the machine was rapidly losing height pot luck had to be taken. In spite of the odds, it is stated that the manoeuvre was skilfully performed and that the pilot showed great courage and resource.  -Auckland Star, 3/7/1944.

 NOTED PILOT

CAPTAIN J. C. MERCER

PIONEERING FLIGHTS 

(O.C.)

CHRISTCHURCH, this day,

About 37 years ago in "men were never meant to fly" days, a gas-filled balloon rose from the open fields and hovered some 200ft up. Appended was a crazy "Basket" — a bicycle wheel with canvas around it, and a bicycle rim for a top — containing a young man who appeared to be less uncertain in the air than the balloon itself. The young man who paid his shilling for this precarious flight was John Cuthbert Mercer, who was to become one of New Zealand's greatest pioneers in the field of civil aviation. This was Captain Mercer's initiation in aeronautics, in association with "Bob" Murie at Invercargill in 1908.

Captain Mercer had 12,000 flying hours to his credit. It was estimated that he had flown in his time 1,250,000 miles, equal to 50 flights around the earth. He spent more of his life aloft than any other airman in the Dominion.

He secured his flying "ticket" in 1917 as a pilot of Canterbury Aviation Company's school, founded by Sir Henry Wigram to train pilots for service in the Royal Flying Corps during the Great War, instead of being sent overseas. He was retained as instructor, training many New Zealanders who achieved distinguished records in France. After the war the school was converted into a business; and aeroplanes were used for "barnstorming" and "joy riding," the flight being given often from paddocks quite unprepared as aerodromes in nearly every centre of population in Canterbury. 

Pioneer Aviation Work The Canterbury Aviation Company inaugurated in January 1921, a mail and passenger air service between Christchurch and Timaru. The service lasted only two months through lack of patronage, and the Government took over the machines and aerodrome as the start of the infant New Zealand Air Force.

Captain Mercer then joined the New Zealand Aero Transport Company, founded by Mr. R. L. Wigley, of the Mount Cook Company, with headquarters in Timaru. Captain Mercer made one of the earliest flights across Cook Strait from Blenheim to Lyall Bay on November 21,  -Auckland Star, 1/7/1944.

Full Story Of Tragic Crash At Mt. Hope

(P.A.) NELSON, This Day 

Graphic stories of the air crash on Mount Hope on Friday afternoon, as a result of which two lives were lost, were told by two of the injured passengers. Miss A Patterson, matron of the Buller Hospital, Westport, and Mr. R. B. Berry, of Wellington. They and three other occupants of the machine are in the Nelson Hospital. The two who lost their lives were Captain J. C. Mercer, managing director of Air Travel (N.Z.), Limited, and Mr. M. Dawe. secretary of the company, both of Hokitika. 

The aircraft which crashed was a twinengined machine owned and operated by Air Travel (N.Z.), Limited, which was on a flight from Nelson to Westport and Hokitika. 

Until the plane struck the trees, said Miss Paterson, she had no suspicion that there was anything amiss. The weather was fine when they left Nelson, and remained so until Glenhope, when they ran into light rain. Visibility remained good, however, and the rain was not sufficient even to mist the windows.

Still In Seat

Before leaving Nelson, the passengers were strapped in their seats by either the pilot, Flight-Lieutenant P. C. Lewis, or Captain Mercer, and after the crash occurred Miss Patterson said she found herself sitting on the ground still in her seat. It seemed that the fuselage had fallen to pieces on striking the trees. 

The pilot appeared to have been thrown clear, and was on his feet almost immediately, but he was very dazed. Mr. Perry had been hit on the chest and felt very ill, and she advised him to rest. 

Captain Mercer was lying further up the hill and was pinned by the leg with one of the seats. The pilot was able to free him, and he rolled down the hill to Miss Patterson’s feet. At the same time, she noticed that the plane’s first aid kit was also alongside her, and she was able to give Captain Mercer an injection of morphia. 

She would have liked to have done the same for Mrs. E. Russell, another passenger, who was some distance away, but as neither of them was able to move, this was impossible, and she gave herself an injection.

Go For Help 

It was about two o'clock when the crash occurred, said Miss Patterson, and it was more than two hours later before Mr. Perry and the pilot were fit to attempt to walk back to the road, which they estimated to be about a mile and a-half away.

While Captain Mercer was conscious he and the pilot had attempted to work out their position in relation to Glenhope and the main Nelson-West Coast road. They could hear the creek quite close to the plane, and the men decided to follow this down. Miss Patterson added that she was very concerned that the men might lose themselves in the bush, because both were in very bad shape. 

Mr. Strathmore left with the other two, but was unable to go very far, and he returned to the scene of the crash. He was very dazed, and finally he settled down and slept until the rescue party arrived. 

Rain started to fall early in the evening, continued Miss Patterson, and it continued heavily throughout the night. Conditions were bitterly cold and the rain seemed to be blowing right into their faces. There was no food or drink, and the hours dragged slowly by with the hope of rescue in the immediate future seeming very slight. 

Tribute to Rescuers 

It was 1.30 o’clock on Saturday morning when calls of the rescue party from Murchison were first heard. Guided by a series of calls from Mrs. Russell and Miss Patterson, they were able to locate the injured, but in the thick hush it was half an hour before they were able to reach them. 

The injured were given injections of morphia by Dr. Kurzweil, who accompanied the rescuers, and were warmed with drinks of hot coffee and cocoa. 

Miss Patterson paid a tribute to the rescuers. She said that they were very lucky to have been brought out as quickly, as they were cold, and the rain was so terrible that none of them could have lived long if help had not arrived.  -Northern Advocate, 4/7/1944.

FUNERAL OF VICTIMS

CAPTAIN MERCER AND MR DAWE

Hokitika, July 4. The funeral of Captain James Cuthbert Mercer and Mr Maurice Dawe, who were killed in the aeroplane crash on Mount Hope on Friday, took place at the Hokitika cemetery this afternoon in bright sunshine, with the snowclad Southern Alps as a background, and an aeroplane circling overhead. 

Before the cortege left the premises of Air Travel (N.Z.) Ltd., where the bodies had lain since Sunday, an open air service was conducted by the Rev. H. A. Childs, vicar of All Saints' Church, Hokitika. The Rev. K. A Hadfield, Presbyterian minister at Hokitika, led in prayer, and the hymn, "Abide With Me,” was sung. At the graveside, the service for Captain Mercer was conducted by Mr Hadfield, and that of Mr Dawe by Mr Childs, while the Masonic service was conducted by Bro. R. V. Frederic. 

The Air Force and Army were represented at the funeral and many beautiful wreaths from all over New Zealand were received. Among them were tributes from the Nelson Aero Club, officers’ Mess, R.N.Z.A.F., Nelson, Motor Traders' Association, Nelson. and the pilots and staff of Union Airways. 

Among the messages Mrs Mercer received were tributes from the Minister of Civil Aviation, the Minister of Works and the Minister of Transport. Reference to the death of Captain J. C. Mercer was made by the Mayor (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) at a meeting of the Timaru Borough Council on Monday evening. “Captain Mercer did much to put Timaru on the map,” said Mr Hanan.  -Nelson Evening Mail, 6/7/1944.

AEROPLANE CRASH

MOUNT HOPE TRAGEDY 

EVIDENCE OF THE PILOT 

(P.A.) NELSON, this day 

Further evidence was taken yesterday afternoon by the Board, of Inquiry, which is investigating the crash of the Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., passenger plane Z.K.A.H.T. on Mount Hope on June 30, when Mr. Maurice Dawe and Captain J. C. Mercer, of Hokitika, lost their lives. The board consists of Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., Wing-Commander G. B. Bolt and Wing-Commander H. C. Walker.

Percival C. Lewis, the pilot, a flight-lieutenant of the Air Force on loan to the company, said the plane was not equipped with wireless. From a weather report received from Westport that there was a cloud base of 3000ft. he judged that the route through the Buller Gorge was the better one. From the way the forecasts were supplied he took it that the Nelson meteorological officer considered one route the better, but not that the other was impassable.

Witness stated that the plane was travelling into a south-west wind, while the wind further up was more westerly. The plane got mixed up in the two winds. The plane stalled while it was on its side in a bank and fell away to the right. He then realised that he did not have sufficient height to come out of the dive. He had considered he had sufficient margin of height to cross the ridge. More height would have been safer, but less comfortable for the passengers. He observed no defects in the plane or the engines. 

Flight-Lieutenant Lewis in evidence this morning said that Captain Mercer asked which route the pilot was taking, but did not express any opinion. It would have made no difference to the actual crash if the plane had been equipped with wireless.

Counsel for Lloyd's Underwriters quoted the Air Navigation Regulations, 1933, which stated that all planes to which the regulations applied shall be equipped with radio. 

Continuing, Flight-Lieutenant Lewis said he knew the plane was loaded to within 18lb of the maximum, but that caused him no concern.  -Auckland Star, 27/9/1944.

Hokitika Cemetery.

22175 Rifleman William George Preston, (18/7/1887-18/12/1916). "his party suffered casualties"

From the Official History of the NZ Rifle Brigade:

At midnight on December 17th/18th a strong party of four officers (2nd Lieuts. G. E. F. Kingscote. F. T. Bennington, B. Mollison and A. Bongard) and 170 other ranks of the 4th Battalion, together with 12 sappers, the whole under the command of Capt. W. W. Dove, carried out a very successful raid. Profiting by the experience gained in our recent minor operations, the plans for this raiding force were laid on a more ambitious scale, and had for their primary object the close examination of the enemy's support line as well as his forward trench at a salient known as "Corner Fort." This point had been visited by our patrols on various occasions during the previous two or three weeks. Lance-Corporal H. S. Eastgate entered it without difficulty on 27th November, and on the following night took a patrol of seven men over to gain additional information, but this time he got into difficulties. He was met by a superior force and his party suffered casualties. 

William Preston was one of the casualties.  He was admitted to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, where he died from a gunshot wound to his chest.

Hokitika Cemetery.

Thomas Creighton, (1865-1874). "a malicious act"

A malicious act, causing great suffering to a little fellow named Thomas Creighton, was perpetrated in Moray Place yesterday morning. Creighton was playing with some others, when a boy ran past, and threw a lighted piece of paper containing powder at him. The package struck him on the breast and exploded, setting fire to his clothes. Some men quickly stripped off his jacket, waistcoat, and shirt, and found him to be badly burnt and blistered, necessitating his removal to the Hospital.  -Otago Daily Times, 10/1/1874.

MALICIOUS MISCHIEF. 

TO THE EDITOR. SIR -- I was very much alarmed to see in your issue of the 17th inst., a notice of the accident that happened to my boy, Thos. Creighton, who is attending the Middle District School, Dunedin, by the malicious act of another boy, in throwing a package of lighted gunpowder into his breast, which set fire to his clothing and severely burned him, and, but for the prompt action of a gentleman, who was convenient, that immediately tore off his clothing, he would have been burned to death. Sir, I think that the law should punish such cruel boys, and if not, their parents have a right to do it; seeing that not the slightest provocation was given, and that the little boy was so far from home, and, I may say, only 9 years old. I desire, however, to publish my sincere thanks to the gentleman who rescued him from such a horrible thing as might have happened.

I am, &c, John Creighton. Naseby, January 26th.

Although promptly taken to the hospital, Thomas died not long after.

The "Waikouaiti Mystery" of 1890.

This story is presented as found in the newspapers of the time.  This writer does not in the least share the prevailing racial attitudes of the time.

A WAIKOUAITI MYSTERY.

HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN A RAILWAY DRAIN. 

A human skeleton in an advanced stage of decomposition was (writes our Waikouaiti correspondent) found on Saturday morning by some boys in a channel cut in the formation of the railway line quite close to the railway station. How the remains came to be where they were is a mystery, and as no one has been missed from the district their identification is not likely to be easily accomplished. The channel or drain was cut some 12 years ago when the railway was formed. Since then there has always been about 3ft of water in it, but the recent drought has had the effect of drying up the water, and thus led to the recovery of the remains. 

From the surrounding circumstances the case appears to be one of determined suicide or a brutal murder, the facts pointing more strongly to murder than suicide, an with the remains were found two pieces of iron rail, each weighing from 5lb to 61b, which were apparently round the neck of the body, and thus kept it from coming to the surface. As already stated there is no one missing from the district, and no clue to identification.  -Otago Daily Times, 24/3/1890.

Late Colonial News

[By Telegraph.] (From our own Correspondent). Dunedin, Thursday evening. 

Nothing further has been heard re Waikouaiti mystery, but the 'Star' recalls a confession by a man in London, as reported in its correspondent's letter of 29th August last, in which he affirmed that he had killed a man in Otepopo Bush, but nothing could be found out about it.   -Mataura Ensign, 28/3/1890.

The Dunedin Star, referring to the Waikouaiti mystery, says: The supposition is that the man was either a stranger who was waylaid and killed near the place where the remains have been found; or that he had been done to death in another locality, carried in a vehicle to Waikouaiti, and there hidden in the ditch. The latter seems more than likely to be the correct solution of the mystery. In this connection a somewhat curious circumstance is recollected. Writing under date of August 23, 1889, our London correspondent told how a man named Robert Perris Stewart, a private in the 1st Battalion of Scots Guards — where be appeared to have borne an excellent character — walked into the Caledonian road Police Station on Saturday, August 24, and gave himself up for murdering a man named Muir in New Zealand twelve years ago. He then said that the deed had been committed in Otepopo bush, where he and his victim had evidently been working. He struck Muir over the head with a large lump of wood, and killed him. At first the authorities were unwilling to believe Stewarts statement, but he persisted in alleging that what he said was true. He was ultimately locked up, when the police authorities at Home decided to make enquiries as to the likelihood of his statement being true. The man was said to be in a very excited state, and appeared to be suffering from remorse, and after confessing gave it out that his conscience was much relieved, and that he was much easier in his mind. When the story was published by us the police here regarded the "confession" as the act of a man whose mind had been unhinged, but now his story is remembered, and some people are apparently inclined to believe that there was "something in it" We have made enquiries, and, so far as data in the local police department is concerned, there seems to be foundation for the opinion that the body of the supposed murdered man has never been found; and when it is it considered that for some time there was considerable passenger traffic through and in the vicinity of the Otepopo bush, the facts seem to point to the belief that the body was not left there by Stewart, but, if a murder did take place, was secreted somewhere.  -North Otago Times, 29/3/1890.

It would be interesting to know whether the police are bestirring themselves to test the truth of the latest story which has been put forward in connection with what the newspapers have called "The Waikouaiti Mystery." Our readers will remember that some days ago two boys at Waikouaiti found in a ditch not far from the railway station what appeared to be the remains of a full grown human being. The police were at once communicated with, and their investigations led them to suspect strongly that a murder had been committed, and that for the purpose of concealment the body had been placed in the ditch at a time when it was full of water. The sergeant who examined the spot found, embedded in the mud and underneath where the skull had lain two pieces of iron rail. On removing them he found portions of a coarse canvas bag. The only report to which we have had access is closely condensed, and no doubt the sergeant gave very much fuller particulars than those which appeared in print. However, the theory adopted by the police was that the body had been placed in the ditch and weighted down in the water by the two pieces of iron rail tied into the bag, and that in process of time the bag had to a considerable extent rotted away. It was proved that the ditch had only recently become dry. Dr Hislop, the medical man who examined the remains, gave the following evidence before the Coroner: — "He believed the remains to be those of a Chinaman because of the shape of the skull, which appeared to belong to the Mongolian type. The eye cavities and the upper jaw pointed to that conclusion, and the lower jaw was massive and very wide at the back part. He also judged of this from the fact that the head appeared to be a large one on a small body. The teeth were stained yellow, as if with opium smoking. The height of the man would be about 5ft, and as the teeth were worn down he judged him to have been a middle-aged man. He thought also that he could not have been an old man from the shape of certain bones which alter at old age, but in this case had not. With some diffidence he expressed the opinion, from the condition of the bones, that the man had not been dead more than three years, and it was with a knowledge that the bones had been under water all the time that he offered the opinion." The jury found that "there was, from the surrounding circumstances, very grave suspicion that the said unknown man came to his death by foul play." Now for the second chapter of this strange affair. A few days after the inquest the Otago Daily Times published the following paragraph: — "A Waikouaiti correspondent writes in all seriousness that the skeleton found in a ditch near the railway station there was that of a gorilla. He states: — 'Shortly after the railway was opened here in 1878, a circus passed through. A gorilla died, and the proprietors, not wishing to waste time, put the remains in a bag, and threw the bag and the contents into the ditch or channel near the railway station.'" On the whole of these facts and statements it is evident that further very serious inquiry is absolutely necessary. We entertain a strong suspicion that the letter which we have just quoted is not to be depended on. We do not remember that any circuses in New Zealand in 1878 or in any other year had with it a gorilla or other very large ape, but on that point we may possibly be mistaken. If the letter is an invention, the writer of it should be thoroughly ashamed of himself, for his statement is calculated to throw dust in the eyes of the police in their efforts to reach the perpetrator of a dreadful crime. On the other hand, if the latter be true, and the remains found were those of a gorilla or orangoutang, how can Dr Hislop account for his having been betrayed into so grave a mistake as to pronounce the Waikouaiti remains to be those of a human being, and probably of a Chinaman who had been addicted to the use of opium?  -Timaru Herald, 3/4/1890.

Some remains, thought to be human, found in a ditch at Waikouaiti, Otago, are now found to be those of a gorilla. Not much difference, you see, between a Chinese-Otago Scotchman and an ape!  -Observer, 5/4/1890.

Charles Bernard Jarman, (1877-3/12/1912). "some discrepancy had been discovered"

 A BODY IDENTIFIED. 

DUNEDIN, Dec. 27. Investigations show practically beyond doubt that the body found near the Northern Cemetery yesterday is that of Charles Jarman, who was a clerk in the Government Shipping Office and who disappeared on December 3. A handkerchief found on the body has the initials C.B.J., and the body corresponds exactly with that of Jarman so far as height, etc., are concerned. When Jarman was last seen he was walking in the direction of the Northern Cemetery. Some writing found in the pockets has been identified as that of the missing man. An inquest on the body was opened this morning before the above particulars were ascertained, but it was adjourned. -Mataura Ensign, 28/12/1912.

INQUEST AT DUNEDIN. 

THE DEAD BODY FOUND IN THE BUSH. 

IDENTIFIED AS CHARLES JARMAN. 

[Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, December 38. 

An inquest was held this afternoon, before Mr Graham (Coroner), on a body (supposed to be that of Charles B. Jarman) found dead in the bush near the Northern Cemetery on Thursday. Dr Gordon Macdonald said the body was that of a man about 5ft 7in in height and about forty years old. In the man’s pocket he found a new razor, which had not been used. He also found a bank receipt from the Union Bank, with a name like Jarman on it. In the shirt, in the region of the heart, he found a small hole, and in the singlet and in the skin there was a corresponding hole. He would say that the man died from a bullet wound. 

Captain Beaumont. said C. B. Jarman was a clerk in his office for about five years. Witness last saw him on the evening of December 2. Jarman knew witness had received a letter stating that the books were to be overhauled. Jarman said everything was in order, and witness had no doubt about the matter. Jarman did not come to the office next morning, and on the books being examined it was found there was a deficiency of £62. It was very difficult to state the exact amount of the deficiency without a complete audit of the books. Witness identified the writing on the letter found on the body as that or Jarman.

The Coroner said there was no doubt in his mind that the body was that of Jarman, and a verdict was returned that the cause of death was a gunshot wound self-inflicted while the deceased was in a state of insanity.  -Lyttelton Times, 31/12/1912.

CHARLES JARMAN'S DEATH

At the inquest held yesterday afternoon on the body of the man found in the bush near the Northern Cemetery, the evidence showed plainly that it was that of Charles B. Jarman, who disappeared on December 3. 

Patrick Gunn Pryde, late secretary of the Education Board; residing in Clyde street, said that he knew deceased intimately. Witness saw him passing his place at about 10 o'clock on either Monday or Tuesday, the 2nd or the 3rd of December. Witness was -working in his garden, and called out "Good morning," but Jarman did not answer. Of course he might not have heard witness call out. He was going in the direction of the Cemetery road. He was carrying something, but witness could not say whether it was a stick, an umbrella, or what it was. He was walking with his head down. 

Detective Ward said that he knew Jarman well for the past four years. He had been endeavoring to locate him since the 5th of December, and knowing that there was some trouble in sight for him, and that he was a sensitive little fellow, he told his near relatives that he believed he would destroy himself. Witness was also familiar with his hand-writing. The bank deposit slip found on the body bore Jarman's signature. The letter produced was also in his hand-writing, and, with the exception of one or two words, witness could clearly decipher it. The letter was addressed to Jarman's wife. 

Constable Rutherford, who removed the body from the bush, said that there was a handkerchief on the body with the name C. B. Jarman written on it. There was a rifle lying alongside the remains. It was a new rifle, and there was a discharged cartridge in the barrel. 

The Coroner said that from the documents found there could be no doubt that the body was that of Charles B. Jarman, and from the fact of the rifle being found by his side and from the evidence given by the doctor there could be no doubt that the cause of death was a. gunshot wound, self-inflicted. The only question was as to the state of mind deceased was in at the time of his death. He had been a man of steady habits, and bore an excellent character. Some discrepancy had been discovered in the books, and the mere fact of knowing that was apt to upset a man's mind, especially as he was, as Detective Ward had described Jarman to be, a very sensitive man. He (Mr Graham) thought he could only come to the conclusion that Jarman's mind was upset by the charge, rightly or wrongly made against him. The verdict would therefore be that death was caused by a gunshot wound, self inflicted, while deceased was in a state of insanity.  -Evening Star, 31/12/1912.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.

Phyllis Archer, (1874-12/10/1894). "I must go"

A DUNEDIN MYSTERY.

(By Telegraph — Press Association) Dunedin, Saturday, ) Phyllis Archer, a domestic servant aged twenty, employed at St. Clair, rose from her bed at eleven last night , and left the house. Her body was found on the beach at six this morning.  -Wairarapa Daily Times, 13/10/1894.

FOUND DROWNED.

Phyllis Archer, a single woman, aged twenty years, who came from Kyeburn about seven weeks ago to the employ of Mrs McGlashan, Edward street, St. Clair, was found drowned on the beach at St. Clair this morning. It appears that she left the house at ten o'clock last night for the purpose of posting a letter, and was not seen after that until her body was found near the St. Clair baths at 6.30 this morning. 

INQUEST. An inquest was held on the body at the Hotel Metropole, St. Clair, this afternoon before Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six (Mr John Munro, foreman). 

Ronald Graham Scott Orbell residing with Mrs McGlashan, St. Clair, stated that deceased was a domestic servant in the employ of Mrs McGlashan. She was about twenty years of age, and her parents lived near the Kyeburn diggings. Witness last saw her alive at a quarter to ten last night, and at seven o'clock this morning he heard of her being missing from the house. A few minutes later he was on his way to the baths, when he saw the body of a girl on the beach. He saw Mr Stark, the caretaker of the baths, and asked him if he knew who the girl was, and Mr Stark replied in the negative. Witness then examined the body, and recognised it as that of Phyllis Archer. It was partly dressed, and appeared to have been washed on the beach by the tide. The girl left the house at a quarter to ten last night to post a letter, but returned soon afterwards. Mrs McGlashan locked the doors of the house after deceased retired to her bedroom, but the back door was found unlocked this morning. Deceased received notice of dismissal three or four days ago. She was told some time back that she would have to leave, but Mrs McGlashan did not dismiss her, as she pleaded to be kept on. Witness found a bedroom candlestick on the path in the garden this morning. 

Amy Weldon, residing with Mrs McGlashan, deposed that deceased was despondent sometimes. During the last week she appeared to be very dull. She received notice of dismissal, but did not want to leave. The candlestick found in the garden was the one used by deceased. The girl seemed to dislike going to her home at Kyeburn. Witness identified the writing in the letter (produced) as that of deceased. The letter in question was found in deceased's bedroom this morning, and was neither dated nor signed. It was written to her father, mother, brothers, and sisters, and was to the effect that Mrs McGlashan and Miss Weldon had done all that lay in their power for her. The concluding lines were as follow: — "With love to my dear father, mother, sisters, brothers, and everybody I must go. Good-bye. We shall meet again." 

Constable Power also gave evidence. 

The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased committed suicide by drowning while temporarily insane.  -Evening Star, 13/10/1894.

FUNERAL NOTICE. 

The Funeral of the late PHYLLIS ARCHER, formerly of Kyeburn (drowned at St. Clair), will leave the Metropole Hotel, St; Clair, THIS DAY (MONDAY), October 15, at 2.30 p.m., for the Southern Cemetery. 

COLE & SPRINGER, Undertakers, 152 George street.   -Otago Daily Times, 15/10/1894.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.

Mary Eccles, (1872-21/6/1892). "she would die first"

NEW ZEALAND.

[Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, June 21. 

A young woman died to-night in childbirth at the house of a nurse, who states that the girl was left by her mother, who called her Mrs Robertson. The police believe that this is not her real name.  Lyttelton Times, 22/6/1892.

THE DUNEDIN MYSTERY.

[By Telegraph. United press association.] Dunedin, This Day. The body of the woman who died in childbed has been identified as that of Mary Eccles, the daughter of a publican in Russell street.  -Evening Post, 23/6/1892.

THE SUDDEN DEATH AT FREDERICK STREET.

An inquest was held thin afternoon, at the Hospital, commencing at two o'clock, by Mr Coroner Carew and a jury of six, of whom Mr John Duthie was chosen foreman, touching the death of a young woman reported In yesterday's issue. 

Joshua Eccles, hotel-keeper, residing in Dunedin, said that he identified the body shown to him in the morgue as that of his late daughter Mary Eccles. She was born in Dunedin in 1872, and was unmarried so far as witness knew. He last saw her alive four weeks ago last Saturday. She was then living with him, and always had been. He spoke to his wife about the girl, and said he thought there was something wrong with her, and Mrs Eccles spoke to the girl. The girl then left the house. He did not know where she went to when she left his home. He made inquiries about her for about ten days before his wife found her. Her sisters then took her to her married sister's place. Witness never heard of her going to Mrs McDonald's. He asked his wife where the girl had gone to, and Mrs Eccles gave him to understand that she had got a billet as a nurse or with a nurse. He told his wife to send her some clothes and money. He did not think she was near confinement. Witness had no quarrel with her before she left the house. She had been a good, hard-working girl, and his wife was very strict with her. 

Mary Ann McDonald was cautioned that she need not answer any questions that she thought might incriminate her. She replied that she would answer any questions she was asked. She was a married woman, a midwife, living in Frederick street. She was in the habit of receiving women at her house in midwifery cases. Had had forty-seven years' experience. Had 104 such cases in Dunedin in one year without the attendance of any person but herself. Believed she had had a thousand cases. Did parish work at Home for eleven years in Duckenfield, Stalybridge, and all round there. Dr Evans and Dr Turner were two of the doctors there. They took the contracts, and passed the work over to witness. She went to Macclesfield afterwards to similar work. This was the first accident she had ever had. First saw Mary Eccles about three weeks ago, when her friends brought her. She came with two women whom witness understood were sisters. They said they were. They asked whether witness could take a young girl in, and it was arranged that she was to come. She was to pay 12s a week as long as she remained, and L5 as fee. Her sisters called her Mrs Robertson. She came that night as far as witness could remember. Her sister came from time to time and brought her things, and gave witness money. It was about the 28th of May that the deceased came to the house. Her mother came to see her twice, witness thought, before her death. Witness was away from home on Tuesday morning last till half past twelve. On returning, deceased asked for port wine and brandy, and witness fetched a little for her. The child was born at 5 p.m. Mrs McConnell was with witness at the time, and witness thought Mrs Burke was there also. There were no unusual difficulties at the time, but afterwards there appeared to be something wrong. Witness had made no mistake, deceased took hysterics, and wanted to get up. Mrs McConnell could not stop her, but in two or three minutes they laid her on the floor, and Mrs McConnell said she thought she was dying. Witness went as hard as she could for Dr Coughtrey. He was at home, and returned with witness. When witness left the house she thought the girl was alive. When the doctor arrived he pronounced her to be dead. [Witness was here examined minutely, His Worship putting a series of questions at Dr Coughtrey's suggestion.] Continuing, witness said it was understood when the arrangement was first made that deceased was not to have a doctor; but witness said some days beforehand that if she (witness) could not manage she would fetch a doctor. Deceased said she would die first. Her mother had been in before that and had spoken very angrily about her. That was the reason. Witness did not, as a matter of fact, offer to fetch a doctor. When Dr Coughtrey was called it was only ten or fifteen minutes before he arrived. To Sergeant O'Neill: Witness was sixty-seven years of age. 

To the Coroner: In addition to her other experience witness was over five years nursing in Dublin Hospital. She held a certificate from there as a midwife hospital nurse, she had shown it to the doctors here, when she first came here. She had looked for it and had been unable to find it, but she would find it.

Dr Coughtrey said that at ten minutes past seven on Tuesday evening he proceeded to Mrs McDonald's house, and found the body of deceased lying on the floor. Death had recently taken place, say from a few minutes to half an hour. The first thing he did was to send for the police, and he then proceeded to take notes of what he saw. Death was due to what was called inversion in the first place, and it might have been secondarily due to loss of blood, and to the profound nervous shock which always accompanies that accident. Inversion was the most formidable accident in midwifery. Statistics showed that it happened once in about 150,000 cases. It might occur without being caused by the person in charge. Witness saw nothing to enable him to say that too much force had been used. Witness knew Mrs McDonald, and remembered her on one occasion showing him a certificate of being qualified to act as a midwife nurse. So far as he could remember it was from a Dublin school. Listening to her description, she appeared to have shown such ordinary skill as might have been expected from a midwife. The only point was that when she saw what was wrong she would have been wiser to have obtained the services of a medical man. When witness asked her why the had not sent for a doctor she replied: "I wanted to, but the girl would not let me." It was a very dangerous case even with skilled treatment. Few medical practitioners could be got to honestly say that they had met with such a case. Having given his evidence, Dr Coughtrey said that he desired through the coroner to call public attention to the fact there was considerable difficulty, and he had to trespass upon the good nature of the hospital authorities to get the body into the morgue. There might have been a ticklish post mortem examination, and the absence of a public morgue was most seriously felt in the interests of justice. 

The Coroner remarked that this had been already spoken of. 

Dr Coughtrey said that they would have to keep hammering away till they got it. 

Martha McConnell, the next witness, was under examination at 4.30 p.m. 

A verdict was returned of death from natural cases, the jury adding a rider calling attention to the want of a public morgue.  -Evening Star, 23/6/1892.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.