THE PRICE TRAGEDY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 155, 12 April 1930, Page 8

THE PRICE TRAGEDY

THREATS OF SUICIDE. STATEMENTON; WIDOW’S BEHALF DEPRESSION FOLLOWS INJURY. (Per Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., This Day. When the inquest concerning the death of William Edwin Price was resumed to-day, G. J. McGregor (counsel for the Price family) entered the box, stating that Mrs Price had authorised him to make a statement to the Court as follows: “It appears that on certain occasions since deceased’s accident, about Christmas, 1928, lie has suffered from periods of depression, and on several occasions lie mentioned to Mrs Price that he thought of shooting himself. It is rather difficult to obtain details from Mrs Price. She is in a state ot collapse, but she said that her husband’s only worry appeared to be the state of his health and the injuries he received in the accident. Apparently the threats were mostly made some months ago. She also said lie always insisted that John Price, his younger bay, must not know anything about it, as he apparently wanted to keep everything from him. She said further that until last week she had not realised that this would have any connection with the tragedy. It had always been her husband’s custom to sleep on the floor, hut a remark I made to her last Saturday about there being no pillow convinced her that he would not lie lying on the floor.” The Coroner: Have you discussed the matter with John Price? Mr McGregor: Immediately afterwards I saw John Price and told him what his mother had said. I asked him if he could tell anything further, but he still maintained that he knew nothing from shortly after 9 p.m. that night until after 8 a.m. uejst day. In view of the fact that a certain suspicion is attached to John Price, I think it due to him to state that the matter might have been arranged by a • third party. The Coroner: Then, in the interests of justice, the third party should come forward and clear the hoy, in whose evidence there are so many inconsistencies.

Following evidence by Dr. King _in rebuttal of the theories of homicide nut forward by Drs. Miller and Boyd, the inquest was adjourned, pending medical reports by Drs, Laurenson and Putnam dealing with the prior accident to deceased.