BULLET WOUNDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 127, 30 May 1936, Page 10

BULLET WOUNDS.

IN CHARRED BODIES FAMILY WIPED OUT. PARENTS AND CHILDREN. ; WOMAN DEMENTED 1 i (By Telegraph-—rress Association.) OAMARU, this day. The inquest into the Maerewhenua tragedy on February 20, when Arthur Douglas Nolan, Thclmi'. Mabel Nolan, Lindon Patrick Nolan and Anthony Francis Nolan were found incinerated in a burned house, was held yesterday at Oamaru. Dr. Fitzgerald described the positions of the bodies when found. In the front bedroom were the charred remains of the man's body on a wire mattress, and the female adult was 011 the floor. In another room were found the remains of two of the children. In witness' opinion the man's death was caused by an injury to the heart, consistent with a bulict wound. A post-mortem 011 the bodies of the children indicated wounds consistent with bullet wounds. The woman's body was too badly incinerated to indicate the cause of death. Charles Douglas Adams, a farmer, gave evidence of noticing the lire. He airi\ed too late to enter the house. Nolan, he said, was an agreeable man who got 011 well With Ills wife. Several witnesses testified to the good relations between the couple. James Joseph Hore, the father of Mrs. Nolan, said his daughter had not been too well. If she was responsible for the tragedy her brain must have snapped during' the night. He was sure it had not been premeditated. William Brash Hutchison said Nolan was a "very decent type of man" and a cheery worker. * George Roland Hore said his sister appeared to be worrying about the baby's health when he saw her six weeks before the tragedy. Elizabeth Alison Hore said Mrs. Nolan had been run down in health. "Got the Bettor of Her." William Arthur James Hore said his sister had suffered from nerves, and he thought this had got the better of her, and that she had destroyed her husband, her- children and herself. If so, witness was sure her action had been unpremeditated. Other witnesses said Mrs. Nolan had not been well, and had worried about the children's health. Detective Ernest 'Thomas said his investigations had failed to reveal the cause of death. The Nolans had been very popular, and had not had a single enemy. Sergeant McGregor said that when the bodies were found the barrel of a repeating rifle had been found near the woman's body. There had been 110 trace • of strangers in the district at the time ' of the tragedy. Returning a verdict that the deaths of Nolan and the children were due to rifle bullet wounds, the coroner, Mr. W. Frith, said that a thorough and con- ! scientious investigation had been made !by the police. He was' convinced 110 outside person was connected with the affair. The bodies had been so badly incinerated that identification had been very uncertain, but he had 110 doubt . that thev were the remains of Mrs. ( Nolan and the two children. Owing to ' the body of Mrs. Nolan being so badly t charred, it.was impossible to state the cause of death. There was no doubt that the rifle found in the ruins was the one used. The father of the woman, .T. J. Hore, expressed the relatives' appreciation of the thoroughness of the police investigation. .