NO SUICIDE PACT

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 June 1933, Page 5

NO SUICIDE PACT

WANGANUI TRAGEDY INQUEST. [per press association ] WANGANUI, June 9. “There is no evidence to show that Mrs. Gordon was a consenting party,” said the oroner, Mr. S. M. Dixon, when delivering his verdict at Wanganui, in respect to the deaths of Nellie Gordon and Joseph Nathaniel Gordon, which occurred under such tragic circumstances at the Metropolitan Hotel just after one o’clock on June 3. He found that the female deceased met her death as the result of wounds in her throat, inflicted by her husband, and that the man died from wounds in his throat self-inflicted. A note book was produced, in which appeared passages written in indelible pencil, purporting to have been signed by both the deceased, as having agreed to die together. The evidence went to show, however, that the writing was that of the husband. Detective J. Walsh, who appeared for the police, was definitely of the opinion that the writing was that of Gordon, and some of it his wife’s.. The Coroner said that he was satisfied that the writing was all that of one person. The evidence went to show that the woman had left her husband. She came to Wanganui on May 30, to stay with a married woman, who had previously resided in Patea, and with whom she had been very friendly. The deceased had made it clear to her friend that she was leaving her husband for a man named Stan. Thompson. He was to take her to Australia. Deceased’s husband visited her at Wanganui, and according to the witness, with whom deceased was staying, he had become reconciled to a separation. It was shown that, on June 3, the husband and Thompson, both came to Wanganui with the intention of going to the Wanganui v. Taranaki Rugby match. They met on the Patea station, travelled in the asme carriage, and were met by the woman at. Wanganui. The trio went to the commercial room of the Metropolitan Hotel, where they all had drinks. Gordon, after getting the drinks from the bar, told Thompson that the licensee wanted to see him. Thompson went out, leaving the man and his wife together. He had a drink with, the licensee. and conversed with him for some,five or seven, minutes. When ho came back to the commercial room he found both Gordon and his wife on the floor. She whs quite still, and Gordon was gasping.

In reply to the father of the deceased woman, Thompson said that, on two occasions the husband had exjpresesd himself as reconciled to his wife leaving him and going to Thompsoju.