FAMILY WIPED OUT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 6 November 1934, Page 8

FAMILY WIPED OUT

TRAGEDY IN WAIKATO. APPARENT MURDER AND SUICIDE Per Press Association. HAMILTON, Nov. 5.. An' entire family was wiped out in a shocking domestic tragedy which occurred on a small dairy farm at Horsham Downs, five miles from Hamilton, at 11.30 this morning. The victims were:—

HARRY T. ROGERS, aged 26, farmer.

MARION ISABEL GOLDEN ROGERS, about 26, his wife. BARBARA ROGERS, aged 21. NOLA ROGERS, aged 10 months.

The first indication that anything was amiss came when Mr Shepherd, a brother of Mrs Rogers, who is employed on the Rogers’s farm, called at the cottage at 12.30 p.m. He found his sister lying dead in the washhouse which adjoins the cottage. Without investigating further lie rushed back to get a neighbour, Mr G. M. Williamson. The latter went across to Rogers’s cottage and there found all the members of the family dead.

Rogers was lying on his face in the bedroom with a pea-rifle partly underneath him. In the same room, lying in a cot, was the child Barbara, also dead. The body of the baby, Nola, was found in a pram in the kitchen. All the victims had been shot at close range with a pea-rifle. The body of Mrs Rogers, which also contained a pea-rifle bullet, was found lying in the washhouse, it was obvious that she was shot while engaged in washing. The family had been on the farm since last June. The place is 50 acres in extent and they were milking 50 cows. The house had been erected when Rogers entered into occupation. Although not well known in the district, they had been exceedingly popular with all with whom they had come in contact."

Mr Williamson stated this afternoon that Rogers visited his farm, about a mile away, at 11 o’clock this morning to return some wire-strainers lie had borrowed. He was then quite normal and gave no indication of any stress or worry. It was stated, however, that Rogers was a man given to worry and had been in a depressed state for some time. He is said to have suffered financial worries.

Several articles of clothing were found hanging on the clothes-line, and there was another tub full of washing in the wash-house, where Mrs Rogers met her death.

Investigations by the police at Rogers’s farm' this afternoon point to the theory of triple murder and suicide. No notes or any indication of Rogers’s intentions were found.

Mrs Rogers returned only a few days ago from a holiday with the children. There is no access to the house except over paddocks.

LATE MRS ROGERS

FORMER RESIDENT OF PALMERSTON NORTH.

It was learned to-day that the late Mrs Rogers was well-known in Palmerston North where, prior to her marriage over three years ago. as Miss Marion Shepherd she was employed for two years with Messrs R. Hannah and Co. In this connection she won many friends by her very genial disposition. After severing lier connection with the firm, Miss Shepherd was for a time in the King Country, later returning to the city when her marriage took place to Mr Rogers. They subsequently moved to the Waikato. Mrs Rogers was a grand-daughter of the late Mr John Batt, lier mother, who died some few years ago, being Miss Edith Batt.