GAS POISONING TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21249, 1 August 1932, Page 8

GAS POISONING TRAGEDY

EATHEK AND YOUNG SON BOTH DEAD IN BEDROOM HEATER FOUND TURNED ON A VICTIM OF ILL-HEALTH A tragedy, involving the death of a boy aged five vent's and his father, was discovered yesterday morning ill an apartment in Wynyard Street. Father and son were found dead in lied. Gas was escaping from a heater which had been turned on but not ignited. Tho father was William Charles Morrison, aged 50 years, a married man residing apart from his wife, while the son was John Albert Morrison, an only child. Tho boy, who lived with his mother, Mrs. Ida Morrison, a nurse, of 1, Richmond Avenue, Northcote, was visiting his father for the week-end, which he did nearly every week. Tho child arrived 011 a visit to his father on Friday afternoon. On Saturday the Jiair went to see the League test match at Carlaw Park, but before the game was finished the father, who had been in ill-health for tho past three months, contained of feeling unwell and (hey returned to his apartment, at 44 Wynyard Street. After they had taken their evening meal tho boy was put to bed about nine o'clock, the father playing cards with the owner of tho house, Mrs. June Love, and others, until about 10.30 p.m., when lie retired. Ho then appeared to be depressed. The others retired shortly afterward.

About nine o'clock yesterday morning Mrs. Love went to the bedroom with deceased's breakfast, as she usually did, but after knocking on the door received no reply. She then noticed the smell of gas and notified other residents of the house, one of whom summoned the police and Dr. P. A. Lindsay. Discovery by Polics Constables Webb and Edwards, on arrival at the house, found both father and Bon in bed, death having taken place several hours previously. The bodies were lying side by side in a three-quarter-sized bed. The father, who was dressed in pyjamas and a shirt, was lying on his back in a natural position, while the son, who was also in his night attire, lay in a similar attitude of repose. Both were covered by blankets and two rugs, which were not disturbed. The constables discovered that gas had been allowed to escape from a gas heater, which was turned on, but not lighted, and stood at the foot of the bed. This heater was connected with several feet of flexible tubing to a gas stove fed through a slotmeter. That the tragedy was not accidental was shown by the fact that the two windows in tfie room were closely shut, a scarf had been placed over the crack at the top of the door and an old sheet had been pushed into a ventilator in the kitchenette adjoining the bedroom. Little Victim and Fairy Stories

In the pocket of the son's pyjamas was a note asking his father to "tell him fairy stories in the morning." There was another note on a shelf, inside the door, but this had no bearing on the tragedy. A diary in which deceased had made a number of entries relating to certain worries was found among his effects. After Dr. Lindsay had examined the bodies they were removed to the mortuary at the Auckland Hospital. An in* quest will be opened by Mr. W. R. McXean, S.M., coroner, this morning. Deceased was formerly an employee of the Auckland Electric-Power Board, retiring from its service throe months ago. He first joined the board's staff in 1909. After serving in the war, where he received a severe injury to one leg necessitating 16 operations, deceased returned to the board's employ and at the time of his retirement was stationed at the Onehunga branch. When he retired he gave ill-health as the reason and stated that he intended to take a short holiday and then join his sister in business in New Plymouth, where his mother, Mrs. Isaac Morrison, and other members of the family reside. When he left the board's service several members paid a tribute to his loyalty and devotion to duty. After retiring, Mr. Morrison, who previously lived at Mount Albert, came to live in the city. He had been at the apartment in Wynyard Street for five weeks.

MOTHER AND BABY GIRL DISCOVERY BY HUSBAND [by telegram—OWN correspondent] WANGANUI, Sunday A verdict of accidental coal-gas poisoning a s tlio result of the action of her mother was returned at the inquest into the death of Patricia McCormick, aged six months. In the case of the mother, Clara Elizabeth McCormick, who was also found dead at 22 Sydney Tlace on July 22, a verdict of death by coal-gas poisoning self-administered while in a depressed stato of mind was returned by tho coroner, Mr. J. H. Salmon. Jack McCormick, husband of the dead woman, said that when ho returned home at 9.30 p.m. ho smelt gas when approach, ing the back door, which was locked. Tho front door was open and he went straight into tho kitchen and found his wife lying with her head in the oven. The baby was dead in a cot in an adjoining room. Witness said his wife had been depressed, although lie had never heard her express an intention of doing away with herself. Dr. Hutchison said it was not likely that tho woman intended to asphyxiate tho baby. Sufficient gas had escapod into tho child's room to cause death.