WAIKATO TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1934, Page 5

WAIKATO TRAGEDY

GHASTLY CRIME

TRIPLE MURDER & SUICIDE.

(Per Press Assoeiation, Copyright).

HAMILTON, November 5.

An entire family wias wiped out in a shocking domestic tragedy, which oocurred at a small dairy farm, at, •Horsham Downs, five miles from Hamilton, at. 11.30 o’clock this morning. The victims were :

Harry T. Rogers, aged 26, farmer. ; Marion Isabel Golden Rogers, aged about '26, his 'wife. - . Barbara Rogers, aged two years and a half.

Nola Rogers, aged 10 months. The first indication that .'.anything was amiss came when a shepherd, a brother of Mrs Rogers, who is employed on the Rogers’ farm, called at the cottage at 12.30 p.m. He wa 8 shocked to find his sister lying dead m the washhouse, ’which adjoins ■ two rooms of the cottage. ■ . Without investigating, further, he rushet 'back to get a neighbour, Mr, G. M. Williamson. The latter went •..cross to the Rogers cottage, and there found all - of- the members of the family dead. - ! Rogers was found lying om hi s F’ce in the bedroom, with a pea rifle- part y underneath him. In the same/room, lying in a cot, was the child Barbara, who also was dead. The body of the baby, Kota, was found in its‘pram in the kitchen. AH of the victims had been shot at close range w ith - a P ea rifle. The body of Mrs Rogers, .which also contained a pea rifle bullet, was found lying on her back in ..the washhouse. It was obvious that she was ,?b«t while she was engaged in, washingThe Rogers had been on :the farm, since last June. . . • - The 'farm is fifty acres in extent, and has'’been milking fifty cows. The house had been erected .when the Rogers entered, into, occupation. .Although they were not well known in the district, they had been exceedingly ■popular with "all with whom they • had come into contact. . Mr Williamson stated this afternoon that Rogers' had visited hi s f»rnt .(about a mile a Way) at 11 o’clock this morning to return some ■ wire strainers which he had borrowed. Rogers was then ' quite normal. He gave no indications of any stress or worry• It is stated; however, that Rogers ■was la man given to worry, and that k c had* been in 'a depressed sstat®, for some time. He'is said 'to havh suffered financial worries. I-

Several articles of clothing were found hanging on the clothes line; and there was another tub full * washing in the washhouse, where Mrs Rogers met her death. ■ - A i Investigations made by the police at the Rogers farm this' afternoon point to the theory of, triple murder and suicide, no notes or any indication of Rogers’ intentions being found,. Mr s Rogers returned ’ only a few days ago from a holiday with ‘the children. There is no access to the house except over paddocks. ••" , ;