AUSTRALIAN TRAGEDIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 August 1929, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN TRAGEDIES

MILKMAN’S TERRIBLE FIND.

(Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn—Copyright.) ADELAIDE, August 29. Walter Randall, aged 45, returned home from his milk round this corning to find his two children, Jeffrey, aged 4, and Doreen, aged 6, dead in their beds. The girl’s mouth was gagged, apparently to suppress her screams. , 1 , Gladys Randall, the mother, aged 29, was found unconscious in another room. Her condition is serious. The woman left a letter, the contents of which have not been divulged by the police. POISONED TEACHER.

SYDNEY, August 29.

The inquest on Bunfield (whom strychnine is suspected to have poisoned) was resumed to-day, at Queanbeyan, when William Kelly, a neighbouring farmer, deposed that, he had a conversation with Bunfield some time ago, when Bunfield casually remarked that his wife was a very sick woman, being hysterical and neurotic. Timothy McMahon, from an adjoining station, gave evidence that he was summoned to Bunfield’s home on the day that Bunfield died. He saw that Bunfield was very ill. Witness suggested to Bunfield that he was possibly suffering from ptomaine poisoning. Bunfield replied, “It cannot be that.” He then admitted that he ate tinned peaches which tasted “mighty bitter.”

Henry Bunfield, ager 14, son of the deceased, gave evidence that he opened a tin of peaches. The father served the peaches with custard, but the mother had no custard. The father became ill shortly afterwards. Witness put a finger down his own throat and vomited. His father said, “Did you taste anything bitter about those poaches?” Witness had replied “No.” Mrs. Bunfield, who arrived at the courthouse before the inquiry ended, declined to give evidence. She was committed for trial on a charge of having caused her husband’s death by poisoning.