THE PRICE TRAGEDY

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 116, 12 April 1930, Page 2

THE PRICE TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. A CRY HEARD. Tlie inquest into the death of Walter Edwin Price was continued yesterday before tho Coroner, Mr J. L. Stout, S.M V when George Gilbert Hancox, Technical School director, who gave evidence last week, was recalled. Replying to Mr McGregor, he stated that he heard a cry when the shot was fired, and it was his impression that it came before the report. Senior-Detective Quirke: What was the nature of the cry?—lt sounded like a shriek. The Coroner: When did you first remember that?—l remembered it sometime before I first gave my evidence. Jho Coroner: Why did you not tell the police?—l was not certain, and was reluctant to say I heard it under the circumstances. The Coroner: How did Mr McGregor get it, if you want to know r definitely? Have you discussed your evidence with Mr McGregor since the inquest opened. —Yes, but I told him on the Saturday after tho event that I heard the shriek. The Coroner: We are not fighting the question of whether insurance will be paid or not. We are hear to get to tho bottom of this tragedy. It was your duty to tell tho police. Will you deny that the cry was after the shot? —No. Witness said he went away enrly on .the morning when tho _ tragedy was discovered and he had difficulty in recalling the facts afterwards. He could connect the shriek with tho report. The Coroner: Were you asleep at tho time?—Yes.

Tho Coroner: Do you think that the shriek woke you before the report?—l cannot say. It may be the report which woke me. That made me so reluctant to express my opinion. The Coroner: I. think it would have been better if you had mentioned the matter to the police. Mr McGregor explained the circumstances and said it had not occurred to him previously to report the matter to the police. The Coroner: This is an inquiry into death, you know. Tho Coroner. said it would have been better for tho information to come through the proper channel. Mr Hancox said his statement was the result of a subsequent reflection. Tho Coroner: Well, at any rate, we are pleased to have the reflection. Richard Simpson Robinson, cabinet maker, said he attended the' morgue in connection with Price’s body. The right arm was bent from the elbow and leaning over the body. The left arm was parallel to c the side. He had absolutely no doubt about the position of the arms. Cyril William Ennis, district manager of the A.M.Pi Society, stated that deceased effected two £IOOO policies with him on December 18, 1929, and another on February 12 last. The premiums on the £2OOO were not paid by deceased. He actually paid only 8 per cent. on the first premium, the amounts being guaranteed by the Hawke’s Bay Investment Company. Deceased paid the third premium himself. Interest payments on the policy of £2OOO for a period of five years would be £lO7 and tho surrender value of the policy at the end of that time would be £359. The surrender value of the other would be about £174. During the five year term deceased was covered by £3OOO which would be paid to his heirs in normal conditions, less £449. Deceased was approached to insuro himself, and acted on the agent’s advice concerning the third policy ._ , Replying to Senior-Detective Quirke witness stated that £2OOO insurance would in the first place bo assigned to the Haivke’s Bay Investment Society, and witness could not obtain a loan for five years. Constable Eric Compton gave evidence that he arrived at the residence of Walter Edwin Price at 8.45 a.in. on March 5 last. John Price, Mr Nagel and Mr Brogden were there. Witness had a talk with the boy concerning his father’s health in previous weeks. John Price said he aid not think he would be going back to school and witness asked why. John Price replied: “You see, dad is dead.” Witness told John Price that he would need his education later on. John Price said: “But you see, he is insured for a good amount. Mum will get the insurance and I won’t need to go back to school.” John Price was quito calm during the conversation, with no signs of aistress. Continuing his evidence, Constable Compton said deceased was lying on his back on the floor, with liis chin just protruding from under tho bed. Ho was in his pyjamas, with liis head turned slightly to the left. Underneath him was a blanket and sheet. Deceased’s head was in a round pool of blood. There were no signs of a struggle in the room or any disorder in the parts of the house which witness visited. Deceased’s legs were stretched straight out, pointing at right angles to the door. The left arm' was bent at the elbow, pointing upwards and outwards. The other arm was straight alongside of the body. At that time witness’s only knowledge, of deceased’s death was that it was due to haemorrhage. Witness had quito a good deal of conversation with John Price, from whom a statement was taken. _ He inquired if it was possible for his father to have suffered an accident _ and fallen from the bed on to tha side of his head. Witness had said he did not think that possible. John Price stated that when he found his father he felt his feet to see if they were cold. He said he knew his father was dead then and he did not go in any further. When deceased was removed to the morgue there was a black discolouration at the side oi the mouth which would not come off. Replying to Mr McGregor, Constable Compton stated that he was positive of the position of deceased’s left arm. The back of the hand was not* on tho floor.

Constable Beaton gave evidence that, on March 5, last, he accompanied Dr. King to the residence of deceased at 5.35 p.m. John Price was approaching the house when they arrived. When he came on to the verandah, witness said: “Have you any guns in the house?” John Price said. “Guns!” Witness said, “Yes.” John Price replied; “There is only one gun in the house.” Witness said: “Where is it?” John Price replied: “In the garage.” A pea-rifle was found in the corner near the door and. witness looked for finger-prints.. Witness unloaded an empty cylinder and took possession of the gun. The three of them .then went to the house ana into deceased’s bedroom. Four false teeth were found on part of a dental plate and jvitness asked John Price if he had ever seen them before. The latter that there were several sets in the house. John Price said he had never seen those particular teeth before, and a search was then mado for the weapon which caused the death, but it was not found. Between 5 p.m. and 5.45 p.m. John Price was informed of the manner of his father’s death and Dr. King told, him that the nature of the wound prevented the weapon from being disposed of. Witness searched for signs of outside interference, 'but could find nothing suggesting an entrance to the house or exit through the windows. In the meantime, Messrs Nagel and Brogden had arrived. Witness returned from outside and found that the room had. been, cleaned

up, Mr Nagel informing him that a bloodstained sheet and blanket bad been removed to the wash-house. Witness stated that he told John Price that if he had planted the gun he might "as well say so, and save trouble. John Price replied that he had shifted no gun and heard no shot. Senior-Detective Quirke arrived at 6.40 p.m. Since the arrival of Dr. King John Price had no opportunity, of going outside and speaking to the boy, Wilson, or anyono else. During a general discussion as Dr. King lvas leaving, mention was made of past mysteries and John Price said:. “Oh, yes, there was a man in Russia accused of killutg his child, but I don’t think he did it .at all.” Witness asked John Price what sleeping suit he had been wearing, and the latter replied that he had his clothes on when ho found his father.. Witness snid : “Yes, I know, but let me havo a look at your sleeping suit.” John Price produced Ins pyjamas from under his_ pillow, and as witness started to examine them, John Price said: “Oh, I sometimes scratch myself and bleed.” Witness asked him what made him. do that, and ho said, “Pimples.” Witness asked him what book he had been reading on the previous night. John Price said it was >a book by O. Henry and produced it from beside his bed. Witness asked him if he saw his father writing, any letters and ho said Ire did not. They then went into the sitting-room where the writing was usually .done, but there was nothing fresh there. There was nothing on the blotting pad to give any indications. Thero were six medical practitioners in attendance at the proceedings at this stage and Dr. King was recalled. Asked what first drew his attention to tho fracture of the skull, witness said he discovered it when examining the wound in tire mouth. He could easily place the index finger of the hand in tho wound in the hard palate. When he manipulated the head lie felt .the grating. This occurred nine hours after tho body bad been found and removed to the morgue. From tho evidence available, he would be lead to conclude tbat the gun was discharged at point blank range—say a distance of six inches. He was now familiar with the expert evidence concerning the full extent of the charge fired. He considered that the shot was fired within six inches, possibly right up against the face. Unless the muzzle of the gun had been pointed . pointblank, with the head in a flexed position, there Uould not have been a round wound. He considered Jiat the powder blast was responsible for tire staining on deceased’s neck. Mr McGregor: Could not deceased havo given a spasmodic or convulsive movement after his death ? —He would yes. Such a shot passed through the motor tracts loading to the brain, and it is a debatable point whether they could be stimulated as the shot severed them. I have considered that and think it possible. Deceased could have cried after the shot was fired. I could not compute in seconds what time it would take. Mr McGregor: Do you think that the extensive bleeding would indicate anything other than instantaneous death?—Well, no, the shot would involve tho main vessels at the base of tho brain and the cerebro-spinal sacs. The fluid would pour out for a longer time from an internal wound. There was considerable interest evident when a demonstration was given by Mr John Miller, surgeon, of possible positions of a body if the shooting were a homicidal act. The feasibility of the wound being inflicted from various positions was discussed by tho doctors and the inquest was then resumed. John Miller, surgeon, then entered the witness box. He stated that be had read tho evidence of Dr. King and the other medical practitioners.

“The wound described by Dr. King could quite well have been homicidal,” ho said, “being inflicted at close range while deceased was lying on liis right side on the floor, with his head unsupported by a pillow. Ho might have been asleep or just awakened immediately prior to being shot. “After being shot he could have fallen over on his back. Tho stimulus of tho shot could have been sufficient to produce any spasm or convulsive movement, causing deceased to assume an altered position. It would have been difficult for him to have inflicted the wound himself while lying on his back. The other medical evidence presumes that he was shot while lying on his back. A suicide places the muzzle of the gun in his mouth to make certain he will not live after the shot, to steady the gun and bring the trigger more within reach. If the gun slipped out of the mouth, the trigger would be more inaccessible. Had it slipped out a suicide would probably have replaced the muzzle in Ins mouth.”

Mr McGregor:'What is your opinion from the surrounding circumstances? Witness: I consider that the surrounding circumstances point to homicide. / ' The Coroner: It is very unusual. The way things are pointing there is no suggestion of a struggle. Witness: There would be no struggle after he was shot.' The Coroner: That suggests that it was done in cold blood. I should be exceedingly sorry to think that it was homicide. There was only one other person in the house. Replying to questions, witness stated that he would not expect a man to sleep on the floor without a pillow, but the previous evidence had suggested that. . . The Coroner disagreed, stating that he did not think deceased had ever slept on tho floor without a pillow. Witness stated that deceased could not have been shot while in bed. The discolouration evidently was not so much above the wound as below it. The shot was probably fired from a distance of about six inches away. The Coroner: Wpuld a man coming in to murder another man in cold blood carefully withdraw lralf _ the shot from the cartridge?—There 18 no evidence that it was withdrawn. The cartridge might have been an old one, which was refilled.

Witness considered that deceased was shot slightly from behind while he was lying on his right side. The Coroner: What is tho natural position for a murderer to shoot at. considering that the mouth is a natural place for a suicide? —I have no idea, probably the head. The Coroner: Do yon suggest that any scuffle could have been heard l»y the other • person in the house ?—I suggest that he should have heard the shot. The Coroner: Do you suggest that the wound could have been suicidal as well as homicidal?—That is nothing to with me. 1 The Coroner: But it has a lot to do do with me. _ Witness said that it would be difficult for a man to shoot himself while lying on his back under a bed. It was more comfortable for a man to lie on his right side on the floor than on his back. The Coroner observed that deceased was found on his back. Witness said, that that did not presuppose it was the position in which deceased was shot. Homicide would bo more difficult if deceased rVere lying on hia back.

Dr. Robert James Boyd said he had read the other medical evidence. “My opinion is that it would 'be almost impossible for a man to commit suicide in the position in which deceased was found,” lie said. “Dr Miller’s opinion in regard to homicide is possible. I can conceive of several other positions for suicide other than, that given by Dr. King, from the angle of the shot. I don’t see how. a man can commit suicide from the position described by Dr. King.” • Mr Quirke: What is your opinion of the sheet and blanket on the floor, without a mattress?—A very hard bed. Mt Quirke: Does not the position strike you as very extraordinary?— Not if he was accustomed to it. Mr Quirke: Would you suggest that deceased was shot on the bed and fell underneath?—l don’t know how ho was shot. Mr Quirke: Then if you don’t know how he was shot, you don’t know anything about it. Mr McGregor: You don’t knoiv either. Mr Quirke: Don’t you know as a medical man that the mouth is the best place for a suicide? Witness: Certainly I know that; but this man was not shot in the mouth. The shot went through the mouth, but it entered on the outside. Mr Quirke (to the Coroner): Do you want any other gentleman to give evidence about these theories ? The Coroner: Perhaps the comment of one or two. I think that the doctors suggesting suicide should be given an opportunity of combating the homicide theory. The proceedings wore adjourned at 5 p.m. until 10 a.m. to-day.