MURDER CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1932, Page 7

MURDER CHARGE.

MAN AND WIFE SHOT. SON BEFORE POLICE COURT. REMANDED IN CUSTODY. OPENING OF INQUEST. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) MASTERTON, this day. Charged with the murder of his parents, at Mangamahoc, John Corrigan, aged 23, appeared before Messrs. Simpson and Greathead, justices of the peace, in the EketaJiuna Police Court this morning, and was remanded to appear in Wellington on Ajpril 5. Bail wae refused. An inquest was opened at Maeterton this morning for the identification of the victims of the tragedy, Mr. John Corrigan, farmer, aged 64 years, and : Mrs. Ellen Corrigan, his wife, aged 57 years. The inquest was then adjourned, sine die. Scene of Tragedy. The house where the tragedy occurred is about 30 miles from Masterton and a few miles from Eketahuna. It contains six or seven rooms, including four bedrooms. Besides the father and mother and the accused, there were two boys and two girle at the home. They were Lewis Joseph Corrigan, aged 20; Patrick Francis Corrigan, aged 13; Agnes Corrigan, aged 16; and Bernadine Corrigan, aged 9. The victims had lived in the Ekefcahuna district for about forty years. They had been on their present farm for the last eight years. Immediately after the tragedy Lewis Corrigan rushed to the house of the nearest neighbour, Mr. John Hanson Berney, about one mile away, where a telephone call was put through to the Eketahuna police. Constable Ede and Dr. Simmons proceeded to the scene. Upon their Mr. Corrigan and his wife were dead and the bodies were later removed to Masterton. Both barrels of a double-barrelled shotgun, which was taken possession of by the police, had been discharged apparently at close range.

The eon John went to bed. the previous evening as usual and apparently was on'good terms with his parents, of whom he was very fond.