MURDER ALLEGED

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1938, Page 3

MURDER ALLEGED

Of Woman and Child ' SHOT BEFORE BEING BURNED. NARRANDERA, May 14. Mrs Dorothy Jean Gash. 30, and her youngest child. Stanley, 2, who were burned to death in a cottage at Morundah early on Saturday morning, had both been shot with a rifle before the fire. Plans were being made to hold the funeral to-day when police dramatically Intervened. Probing among the ruins of the cottage, they had found a rifle barrel (containing a spent cartridge. A post-mortem examination later [revealed that both mother and child had bullet wounds in the head. Mrs Gash’s four other children were sleeping on the cottage verandah when the fire occurred. They escaped unharmed. Neighbours heard the children’s screams, but the building was burning so fiercely no one was able to enter it to rescue the woman and child, who were known to be inside. THEORY DISCARDED. First reconstruction of the tragedy suggested that Mrs Gash had been trapped by the flames when trying to rescue Stanley, whose body was wrapped in a blanket when found. Although foul play was not suspected. police then were unable to understand why the woman had not escaped. as there was a door near where her body was found.

To-day's post-mortem completely altered the complexion of things. I Detective Sergeant Ramus and ■ Detective Love, of Wagga, were rushed to Narrandera this afternoon arriving to-night. They will begin inquiries early to-morrow. The C. 1.8. chief Detective Inspector Matthews, to-night despatched Detective Sergeant Allmond from Sydney to take charge of the investigation. Ho will arrive at, Morundah to-morrow.

The husband. William C. Gash, was employed on road work some miles from his home, and slept at the place of his employment. Morundah is 24 miles from Nar--andera.