The Girl from the Goldfields:

DEATH OF MUSIC TEACHER,
MARIE McGUIRE.

THE CORONER’S INQUEST
ALLEGED UNSKILLFUL TREATMENT.
A Young Woman from the Boulder –
Dies at Private Hospital on New Year’s Day

On Monday morning last, before Acting Coroner, Mr. A. S Roe, and a jury, an inquiry was opened into the case concerning the death of a young music teacher, Marie Veronica McGuire, who died in St Vincents private hospital on New Years Day 1913.

A steady and sensible girl

Mary Alice Anderson, a married woman, living at Boulder City, state that prior to the opening of the inquest, she had attended the morgue, and identified the remains- The deceased, whom she had known for about 12 or 13 years, originally cam from Northcote, Melbourne, Victoria.

Miss McGuire followed the calling of music teacher. The witness had originally known Miss McGuire in the Eastern States, and on May 13th of last year, met here again in Western Australia. On the day after their meeting, they proceeded together to Boulder City, and on the 27th of December last, Miss McGuire left the Boulder for Perth. She was, as far witness knew, a steady, sensible girl, she was 22 years of age. Miss McGuire, to the witness’s knowledge, had not company with any man. She had informed her she was particularly fond a man named Nugent, who had visited Kalgoorlie with Wirth Bros, circus and whom, deceased said, she had visited every night he was there. This was about the beginning of September. As far as witness knew, the deceased was perfectly healthy, she gave the witness to understand she was visiting Perth to have a holiday and that after the New Year, she would return to Boulder.

On January 1, witness received two wires from Dr. Randall, the first received between 8am and 9am reading,’ “Miss McGuire very ill, little hope of recovery.” The second, received shortly before luncheon, Stated,”Regret to inform you Miss McGuire died early this morning’.

STORY of JOSEPH NUGENT

Joseph Nugent

Joseph Nugent said he followed the occupation of engine driver, and was presently in the employ of the Agricultural Department. He was acquainted with deceased, he came to the State on the same boat as her, but it wasn’t until later on, at Bridgetown in February he first met her. They became friends, and she remained in Bridgetown about three months. The witness went, on to say that he next met the deceased in Perth, and subsequently Kalgoorlie, when he visited with Wirth’s Circus on August 17th. Prior to this he had corresponded with her. At Kalgoorlie he saw her nearly ever night, and was intimate with her several times. After the circus season concluded at Kalgoorlie he went to work for the Public Works Department in Albany. Here he received a letter from her where she informed him that she was in a certain condition.  These letters have been destroyed.
Deceased asked the witness to write to her to say what she should do, but he did not reply to the letter because he thought

HE WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE

for her condition. Sub Inspector Walsh asked ‘what made you think this’? he replied, “When we renewed acquaintance in Kalgoorlie she came to see me, and I asked to separate, as she thought I was not good enough for her. The Coroner –  “You meant that your condition socially was not good enough for her? -Yes sir. Did this have the effect of making her cease her visits?—No sir; it had the opposite effect. ‘She came to see me every night, and appeared more attached than ever’?

Was anything said about marriage? -No. What was your reason for thinking was you were not responsible for her condition? -Her becoming suddenly more attached to me. You mean to say that she practically threw herself at you, and you thought there had been someone else on that account?—Yes. Nugent went on to say that on December a 23, he visited Perth for a holiday. Deceased, did not know of this. He had told her he would leave the circus at Albany. He had not met her in Perth during the holidays The last time he had seen her alive was in Kalgoorlie.

On January 2nd he read of the deceased’s death in the paper and he then went and told Sub
Inspector Walsh his story. He now believed he was in error in thinking that she had been intimate with somebody else. A letter was produced which was addressed to him, and was written in pencil, but was not posted. The letter in question read as follows:

C/o Mrs. Kenny,
56 Carr street
West Perth, December 29, 1912

My Dear Joe
Just a few lines which I hope will find you well. You paid me very high compliments by not answering my last two letters, but I suppose I frightened you unnecessarily, but to tell you the truth I was afraid myself. Well, I felt as though I wanted a change from Boulder so I came to Perth yesterday. I couldn’t get away before Christmas. They tried to persuade me not to come to Perth, but here I am and will stay for a short while with Mrs Kenny. I don’t  know where I will go after as I have not saved enough money to take me back home to Melbourne for Xmas, However, it does not matter much I suppose. I really cannot believe that you don’t want to see me again. I don’t know what I did to turn you against me, but of course you must please yourself. Must close now, with best wishes for a happy prosperous New year-—Sincerely (Signed) Marie McGuire.

Dr Tymms gave evidence that on January 1st, he made a postmortem examination of the deceased remains in the presence of Dr. Randall. There were evidences that she had been in a certain condition. From the appearances of the organs he was of the opinion that the cause of death was shock, and hemorrhage, following on miscarriage and an internal injury, This injury, in his opinion, had not induced the miscarriage, but had been caused after the miscarriage. It was an unusual injury and could. have be caused. by an instrument in an attempt to perform a certain operation. It points to unskillful treatment. There was no sign of blood poisoning or septicemia. he said the deceased would have died a few hours after the operation. The injuries were such as could not be self inflicted and in themselves were not enough to cause death but they had contributed to the hemorrhage. A second doctor, Dr D McWhae felt that death was caused by a miscarriage from an illegal operation performed on herself by the deceased.

Dr Randell stated he had been called to a Miss McGuire who was in pain and vomiting. Her temperature was 102º and she was pale and thought she had gastritis. A witness suggested a miscarriage but Miss McGuire would not allow an examination. He gave her an injection of morphia and then left and returned at 1am. The deceased temperature had dropped and she was not in pain. She then admitted to having a miscarriage and allowed an examination. He returned to see her that evening and her temperature had again risen. Her pulse was weak and rapid. He arranged for her to travel to St Vincent’s Hospital in an ambulance. At the hospital he removed from her certain matter, applied a douche and gave an injection of strychnine

He had urged on the deceased the necessity of letting some of her friends known she was ill, and she asked that Mrs Anderson and her sister in Northcote, Victoria should be wired to. He dispatched the wires about II p.m. and left  the hospital about midnight, leaving instructions that he was to be communicated with if necessary, shortly after 1 a.m. he received a summons to the hospital, but when he arrived the deceased had passed away. Next morning, he reported the death to the police, on the same evening he was present at the post-mortem examination. Dr Randall was asked if he has met the deceased before this night, he denied it.

Mrs Kenny, Miss McGuire’s friend, said that the deceased had told her. “If I should be taken ill during the night, call for Dr Randall, he knows me well, I have been to him before with a friend and he pulled her through, he will make me alright.

Marie McGuire was a former school teacher before she became a professional music teacher. She was born in Victoria and came to Western Australia only two years before her death.

A few minutes before she died at midnight,  Marie wished all the nurses ‘A Happy and Prosperous New Year’. She was given the last rites by a Catholic Priest.

Evening Star – Boulder 18 January 1913, page 1

VERDICT OF THE JURY. ! After a brief retirement, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with evidence, namely, “That death was caused by shock and hemorrhage following miscarriage.” A  rider was added,  ‘we are of the Dr Randall should have reported the case to the police authorities when he knew the deceased to be so dangerously ill”.

Marie is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery in the Roman Catholic Section. Her grave has been resumed. She is registered as Maguire in the cemetery records.