Mary Jane Pratt

Mary Jane Pratt was a woman who drowned in the Redan quarries.

History
Mary Jane Pratt was born c.1872, the daughter of William Pitcher. She was married to Alfred Pratt.

Pratt was found drowned in the Redan quarries on 8 September 1901: "An apparent suicide, with some mysterious surroundings, occurred at Redan yesterday, the victim being a woman named Mary Jane Pratt. The deceased’s husband, Alfred Pratt, called at the Redan Police Station at six o’clock in the morning and stated that he had found his wife in a quarry-hole, and Constable Stallard and Pratt subsequently recovered the body, which was floating in eight feet of water. Pratt Stated that on the previous night he and his wife had quarrelled, and she had said 'good-bye, you won’t see me again,” and left the house. The body was removed to the Morgue and an inquest will be held in due course. Full details of the affair will be found in another column." "An inquest on the remains of Mary Jane Pratt, whose body was found in a quarry hole off Surrey-street, Redan, on Sunday, was held before Nr J. L. Anderson and a jury of five this afternoon. The husband of the deceased gave evidence to the effect that on Saturday night his wife, who was then intoxicated, asked him to kiss her, for she was going. She went out, and as she did not return he thought she was going to obtain more liquor. The deceased attempted to take her life six months ago by poison, but she was taken to the hospital, where emetics were applied with satisfactory results. The medical evidence showed that death was due to asphyxia, and a verdict of suicide by drowning was returned." THE REDAN DROWNING CASE. INQUEST ON MRS PRATT. THE HUSBAND’S EXPLANATION. A VERDICT OF SUICIDE. At the City Police Station yesterday (before Mr J. L. Anderson, J.P., and a jury of six) an enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mary Jane Pratt, who drowned herself in a quarry hole in Pleasant street on Saturday night, was held. Alfred Pratt, laborer, said that his wife (who had been at the Hospital in the evening) came home at about 9.30 or 10 o’clock. He went out and got three-pennyworth of beer, which was the first he had had that day. When he was out he saw the deceased in a grocer’s shop. He went home and had a glass of beer, and then went out and met deceased coming from the Family hotel. She walked on ahead of him without saying anything until near the house, when he remarked, "I think it is pretty near time you came home." She made no reply. When they had entered the house, he said, "You don’t think much of your sick child in the Hospital." She said, "It has nothing to do with you what time come home; I’ll come home when I like. The few things in this house belong to me." Witness replied, "Take them, away, and don’t trouble me; I’m sober, and you’re drunk." She was drunk. Witness went out to the back of the chimney, and there found a bottle of beer planted, and brought it in. He said, “I’ll throw it out on the road,” but she seized the bottle and drank all its contents, remarking afterwards, "There’s none for you.” She went out, and return ed shortly after, and remarked, "I’ve said 'Good-bye’ to Mr Mason. Kiss me, Kid, I’m off.” Witness said, "Don’t be a fool; go to bed,” and he went to bed himself, and she went out, and as she did not return in half an hour, he got up again and went to look for her. Not seeing any sign of her, he returned, and went to bed. An hour afterwards the back door opened, but no one came in. He locked the door, and went to bed, and did not wake till nearly 6 next morning, when he thought he would go down to his brother’s house to see if his wife was there. He, however, went first to the quarries, and there saw the body in the water. He went to the Redan Police Station, and told Constable Stallard, and they both went first to the residence of witness’s father and obtained his assistance, and witness went into the water and brought her out. Deceased had threatened to commit suicide previously, and some eight months ago she took poison, while a fortnight ago she got out of bed one night and went to the quarries, but was stopped. Constable Stallard—How do you know that? - Witness—She told me so herself. She said, "I waited till you were dead asleep, and then I got out of the house." The Coroner—Knowing that, did you not consider it was your duty to follow her on Saturday night. Witness—l think it was. But if I followed her she would have turned on me. She gave me a hiding once before, and put me in the Hospital, and I had seven stitches put in my eye. Constable Stallard—Did you ever beat her? Witness—No, never. If I had done so she would have been better for it. What did yon think when she bade you good-bye? I thought she was going to an hotel. Why, then, did you go to the quarries next morning? Because I thought I would find her there. But what had she said to make you think that? She never did me any wrong. Something told me she was there. When you found her body in the water, why did you not get it out at once. She might have been alive for all you know? Oh, I know a dead body when I see it. I’ve seen them before. When I saw the body in the water I said, "That’s her; the best thing I can do is to go for Constable Stallard.” The Foreman—But don’t yon think you should have followed her, knowing what she had threatened? Yes, I think I should; but if I had, she would have got a crowd round- I would have been given in charge for being drunk and disorderly, and if Stallard had taken me on that charge, he ought to have been horsewhipped. I was sober. I ought to have gone after her. Constable Stallard deposed to having gone with the last witness to the quarries. Pratt swam in and got his wife’s body out of the water. The body was floating face downwards, and was fully clothed. There were no marks of violence it, nor were there any signs of a struggle on the banks. Footprints were visible on the bank. The quarry is securely fenced.

Dr Champion deposed to having held a post-mortem examination on the body. There were no marks of violence. There were small blood spots on the lungs, and all the organs were healthy except the liver, which was slightly congested, and there were small cysts present. Death was due to asphyxia from drowning. There was a slight smell from the stomach, which might have been from stale beer. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased committed suicide by drowning herself.