Olivia Amelia Josephine EDWARDS [11020]

  General Notes:

1. Bevil George John Glanville Morris 1899-1958
2. Esther Margaretta Victoria May Morris 1901
3. Bernard Henry Glanville Morris 1903 - 1971
4. Adelaide Helena Amelia Morris 1905
5. Constance Olive Glanville Morris 1907
6. Josephine Ann Marie Morris 1910
7. John William Sydney Morris 1914

After her first husband's death, she married Ockey Michael Harken.

She doused herself in kerosene and set herself alight, and died from the ensuing burns.

The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901) Fri 5 Aug 1898 Page 8 Family Notices
MARRIAGES.
MORRIS - EDWARDS. - On 18th June, at St. Coinmba's Church, Cottesloe, by the Rev. Douglas B. Smith, Geo. Stephen Morris, late of Redfern, Sydney, and only son of John Morris, of Railway Department, to Olive Amela. Josephine Edwards, youngest daughter of the late W. J. Edwards, late of Manunden, Essex, England, late of Prince Alfred Rifle Brigade; and Mrs Margaretta Dore, authoress of 'Poetical Reminiscences of Western Australia.' 2058

Toodyay Herald (WA : 1912 - 1954) Fri 13 Mar 1931 Page 4 Harken Burning Fatality.
Extensive Coroner's Enquiry at Wongan Hills.
Death of Mrs. Harken Found to be Due to Shock and Heart-failure, following burns, self inflicted.
The Coroner's enquiry into the death of Olive Amelia Josephine Harken, married woman, who was fatally burned at her home at Wongan Hills on Saturday, February 28, was commenced in the Wongan Hills Road Board Hall on Tuesday, the 10th inst. The acting Coroner (Mr. J. H. Ackland) was assisted by Detective Cowie.

Ten witnesses were examined and Mr. Harken, husband of the deceased, was subjected to a severe cross examination by both the Coroner and Det. Cowie.

The first witness called was Constance Morris, shop assistant. She said she remembered Saturday, February 28, well ; she had received a telephone call about 2.20 p.m. and on going home had found her mother lying around the side of the house enveloped in flames, which Harken was endeavouring to extinguish. Her mother never spoke to her. Constable Watson and Dr. Stenning removed her mother to the hospital. From her knowledge of him Harken had been drinking. Referring to her mother's past life with Harken, witness said they had been alright when he was sober but trouble invariably started when he had had drink. He was of a jealous disposition and would accuse his wife of having other men in the house. During his frequent absence, witness bad seen nothing for foundation to these accusations. On one occasion Harkin had thrown water over her mother in the middle of the night and at another time when his wife had arrived home late from Gooalling he had been in a bad humour and had hit her on the lips when she had advanced to kiss him. Witness had no knowledge of Harken having once set her mother's bed alight.

Deceased had been suffering from bad health and had told witness that she would take her life prior to fatality. There had not been a row for a week or two. Deceased had consulted a doctor in Subiaco some three weeks previous to her death and had been informed that she had very low blood pressure and that her nerves were bad. Probably Harken was not aware of, the doctor's statement.

Since deceased's death there had been discussion about a transfer of property from Harken to witness but nothing definite had been arranged.

The next witness, Edward Joseph Stone (railway guard of Wongan Hills) said Harken and his wife quarrelled frequently: On the day in question he saw them quarrelling in the back yard but later noticed them by the side of the house apparently planning another flower bed and appeared quite friendly then. He was informed fifteen minutes later of the tragedy.

Reginald Clarke, railway foreman, said he was in room nine of the railway barracks on Saturday. February 28th. Between 12 and 1 o'clock he heard woman's screams coming from Harkens place and saw them both in front of the house. Deceased seemed to be pushing Harken away and was shouting at him. Witness resumed his reading and five to ten minutes later heard more screams coming from the same direction and saw deceased in flames running around the corner of the house with Harken running after her. Witness went over and found Mrs Harken lying on the ground wrapped in rugs held around her by Harken apparently trying to put the fire out. Harken appeared to be in a dazed and stupid condition but witness could not say whether this was caused by drink or
not.

John Morris aged sixteen ???????? mechanic (son of deceased by her first husband) said he heard his mother and step father quarrelling as he went in the door from work on the 28th February but they ceased on his appearance and the three of them had dinner quietly together. Harken was the worse for drink and after dinner went to the station for his pay. During his absence a lad named Waldock called with a buggy to take witness out as arranged. Both lads were in the bathroom when Harken returned and witness heard him say : ' You send me away for my pay while other fellows come here." Four minutes later witness went out for some water and saw his mother running in from the front verandah to the back where she went to a copper and got a bottle half-full of kerosene.

She did not appear to witness to be unduly excited, Harken was still standing on the front steps when witness returned to the bathroom Two or three minutes later he heard the thud of something failing on the verandah and heard screams. Rushing out he found his mother in flames on the front steps. Harken ran up the steps calling to witness to get blankets. Witness attempted to extinguish the flames with the aid of his overalls and a bag. Harken then arrived with blankets and witness left to ask a neighbour to 'phone for the police and doctor. Witness could not remember having said that Harken had poured kerosene on his mother;.he was very excited and could not remember what he had said could not remember having said he ought to be shot at dawn. Witness was on friendly terms with Harken.

The next witness, Phillip Waldeck, seventeen and a half years of age, corroborated the evidence , of the previous witness. He saw Harken trying to extinguish the flames in Mrs Harken's hair with his hands.

Arthur Ernest Stenning, medical practitioner of Wongan Hills, said on arrival at the house he had found Mrs Harken extensively burnt over the face, head, body and knees. She had gradually lapsed into unconsciousness and died about two and a half hours later. He had attended Harken at the hospital and he appeared to be slightly under the influence of liquor and had slight burns on the hands. Death bad been firstly due to burns and shock and heart failure caused by the burns. Witness had attended deceased professionally about nine months ago and she then appeared to be of normal temperament and had impressed him as a woman who would not fly into a temper without severe provocation.

Thomas Liversedge and Arthur White, labourers, both testified to hearing screams from Harken's residence and hearing a woman's voice say " You dirty dog." They heard this at a distance of about 120 yards, Liversedge said he heard John Morris say " He. ought, to be shot at dawn."

The next witness, PC. Watson, in charge of the local police station, said on his arrival at Harken's in answer to an urgent 'phone summons he found deceased wrapped in rugs on the ground with Harken bending over her. Witness removed the rugs and extinguished the clothing which was still burning and then removed deceased to the hospital in his car. Witness returned to the house and made a search, finding a beer bottle on the front verandah which smelled strongly of kerosene. On the floor of the verandah was a broken match box and a number of live matches, some with the heads broken off, and one match had recently been burnt.

The smell of kerosene was evident on the verandah. In his opinion, Harken was under the influence of liquor but witness would not suggest that he did not know what he was doing. Witness said he had since made certain tests in emptying bottles similar to the one produced: It took twelve seconds to empty a full bottle, during which witness had walked twenty yards at ordinary walking pace, and went on to give details of times required for lesser amounts in the bottle.

Michael Harken, engine driver, husband of deceased said he had been married four years during which time his wife had been comfortable and happy, except that she used to flare up if witness had been drinking. She had threatened to clear out and leave him and had told him that he would come home and find her dead but he did not consider that his conduct caused such remarks. Witness brought in the train from Caron arriving at Wongan Hills between 11 and 12 o'clock on 28th February and went straight home; he was very tired but perfectly sober. He found his wife alone and they were on friendly terms. Witness washed and went to the station for his pay but could not get it so went straight home again. He denied the evidence of previous witnesses that he had quarrelled with his wife in the back yard before going for his pay. His wife then gave him two shillings and he went to the State hotel and had three pots of beer; he was still sober but very tired. That week he might have got seven or eight shillings from his wife for drink but denied that the sum amounted to 22 shillings. No trouble was caused that day because he wanted money his wife would not give him. Returning from the hotel, he sat down to dinner with his wife and denied that they were quarrelling either when John Morris came in or at any other time. After dinner deceased suggested that, he should go and get his pay and return for a sleep.

He did not remember being at the side of the house as stated by a previous witness (.Stone) but be might have been. Witness went to the station but found no one there and, returning five minutes later, noticed a horse and buggy tied to the fence ; he knew it belonged to a friend of John. His wife came to the door as he entered the gate and he noticed that she had a cork in her hand. He said " You are a nice one, sending a bloke over there for nothing while another bloke comes to see you," or words to that effect. His wife stood at the door and did not go back into the house. Witness thought the bottle contained Fly Tox. Witness could not account for the witness John Morris and Waldeck saying deceased went back into the house and obtained the bottle. Deceased then remarked ' I will let you see what I will do,.' and commenced to pour the contents of the bottle over her head. Witness did not know what the bottle contained and did not realise that it was kerosene until she struck a match and it ignited very rapidly. Witness I never had a chance to prevent her striking the match but could have prevented her had be realised the presence of kerosene ; he then tried to put out the flames in her hair with his hands and called to John to bring blankets.

Witness went and got a rug and quilts and wrapped them-round her. At no time did he hear anyone say "you dirty dog," as alleged by witnesses Liversidge and White. Witness was then subjected to a severe cross-examination by Detective Cowie.

He denied that he was jealous of his wife; denied evidence of Connie Morris that he pested his wife. . He admitted that he threw water, over her on one occasion" because she dared" him to do it but denied that his wife dared him to throw kerosene over' her also. He said he was perfectly sober and could have saved her life had he realised she intended to set fire to herself; he did not consider himself in any way responsible for the crisis leading up to his wife's death
.
Witnesses John Morris and Waldeck then recalled that deceased had gone into the house and obtained the bottle after Harken's second return from the railway station.

Evidence was then concluded.
The Coroner's finding was upon inquiry returned that: "Deceased came to her death at the Wongan Hills Hospital at approximately five thirty p.m. on February 28, from shock and heart failure following on excessive burns received through herself' pouring kerosene over her clothing and her body,and setting fire to herself while in a nervous and hysterical temper, and that the injuries she received were caused by her own action. I further find that to a large extent she was aggravated to this frame of mind by the conduct of her husband, Ockey Michael Harken.

Olivia married George Stephen MORRIS [11036] [MRIN: 3655] in 1898 in Cottosloe, WA, Australia. (George Stephen MORRIS [11036] was born in 1874 and died in 1916 in Perth, WA, Australia.)

Olivia next married Ockey Michael HARKEN [11037] [MRIN: 3656].