THE INQUEST cont.

Witness #2: Dr. J.S. Helmcken: The second medical doctor who was on the scene of the shooting. He had apparently treated Edna on previous occasions but does not specify for what exactly.

"...I have attended this girl on one or two occasions lately, and considered her of very excitable disposition and one who might commit suicide on any small provocation." Dr. J.S. Helmcken.

Witness #3: John Croft, the "john" whom it is implied had relations with Edna. The full extent of their relationship is unknown. There is an idea that John Croft (who incidentally does not appear in any official records of the time besides Edna's inquisition] is in fact George Farnsworth. [link to section on San Francisco article in "media frenzy" maybe link the word 'George Farnsworth']

"I was in the house at no. 14 Broughton Street, on the morning of the shooting, and was talking to the deceased and two other girls in the dining room. A hackman came for me as I had ordered him to. I left the house, went out by way of Pemberton's and the stable, not by the front door. This was, I should think about four o'clock. On the sidewalk I joined the hack driver, and there I heard a shot fired-at least what I took to be a shot. I said to the hackman, "Tom, did you hear that?" He said "yes." And we both ran for the front door of the house. We were met there by three of the girls. One of them said, "My G---! Edna has shot herself." We went into the house and into the room. We found her lying on the floor with her feet toward the window. She wasn't dead she was still breathing. The hackman said, "better go for Dr. Milne." We both ran for him and woke him up. We then went back to the house and a few moments afterwards Dr. Milne appeared, and I helped him put her on the bed. Then someone sent for Dr. Helmcken who arrived shortly afterward. That's all I know.

"About ten minutes before I left the house, I had a conversation with the deceased, in the room with the other girls. She seemed in good humour and gave no evidence of her intention to suicide. I can't say what her idea was in shooting herself. I know the girl did not want me to leave the house. She asked me not to go. I should not like to think that it was that that caused her to kill herself. There was no trouble between us. I should not like to think that she cared enough about me to do that."

previous page next page

Click HERE to go to the basic facts of the Belle Adams case.