WANGANUI TRAGEDY

Grey River Argus, 10 June 1933, Page 4

WANGANUI TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. (Per Press Association) WANGANUI, June 9. “.There is no evidence to show that Mrs Gordon was a consenting party,” said the Coroner. Air S.M. Dixon, when deliverin; his verdict at Wanga nui yesterday, in respect to the deaths of NoLie Gordon and Joseph Nathan iel Gordon, which occurred under such tragic, circumstances nt the Aletro politan Hotel just after one o’clock on June 3th. Ho 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 how ever, 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 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 30th. 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 hi/band for a man named Stan Thompson. H© 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 heroine reconciled to a separation. It was shown that on June 3rd. the husband, and the man Thompson, both came to Wanganui with the intention of going to the Wanganui v. Taranaki Rugby match. They met on th e Patea station, travelled i n the sam e carriage. and were mot, by the women at Wanganui. The trio wont to the commercial room of the Aletro politan Hotel where Jhey all had

drinks. Gordon the husband, after getting the drinks fro m 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 sc\en minutes. When he came back to the commercial room he found both Gordon and his wife on the floor. She was quite still, and Gordon was gasp ing. In reply to the father of the deceased woman, witness Thompson, said that on two occasions, the hus band had expressed himself as reconciled to his wife leaving him and go ing to Thompson.