Man "Buried” Last Year Found Alive By Police

Press, Volume C, Issue 29526, 30 May 1961, Page 12

Man "Buried” Last Year Found Alive By Police

A man thought to have been buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Burwood, on March 12, 1960, was found alive in Auckland on Sunday, and has admitted his identity to the police. He is John Edwin Chapple, aged 43, a painter, who disappeared from his home in Hinau street, Riccarton, on March 11, 1959. About a year after Mr Chapple disappeared, a badly decomposed body, which was little more than a skeleton, was found by Mr Alan James Widowson while he was fencing a paddock at the corner of Wooldridge and Wairakei roads. The body was buried after it had been identified by two of Mr Chapple’s workmates. His wife, Celia Chapple, had also said that a shaving brush and a safety razor found on the body were identical with those used by her husband, which were no at their home after he disappeared.

apparently contained tablets, and a small bottle, which had apparently contained sleeping tablets, were found near the body Dr. C. T. B. Pearson said that the body was far too decomposed to allow him to determine the cause of death, but it was possibly a result of an overdose of sleeping tablets. The Coroner (Mr E. B. E. Taylor) found that death occurred about March 12, 1959, the cause being unestablished, but possibly a result of an overdose of sleeping tablets. The identity of the man buried under the name of Chapple is not known. Just before Mr Chapple dis-

The inquest was concluded on September 16, 1960. Mrs Chapple then gave evidence that when her husband left for work on the morning of March 11, 1959, he appeared to be in his usual good health.

appeared he sold his car. He set off to a painting job in Riccarton which had only been partly completed, but did not arrive.

After the burial a headstone with the name of Chapple was erected over the grave.

Detective-Sergeant L. D. Harrowfield said that two small containers, which had

lit is understood that Mr Chapple was recognised by some Christchurch friends while he was employed in the Midland Hotel, Wellington, about four months ago. He disappeared again, and was not traced until he was located in Auckland after extensive police inquiries. Mr Chapple was employed as a barman at the hotel, and when he left it was understood that he went north.