TWO DEATHS IN FLAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 20

TWO DEATHS IN FLAT

FATE OF MAN AND WIFE BELIEVED LEAKAGE OF FUMES [from otjr own correspondent] SYDNEY, Sept. 28 The police are now convinced that Mr. Edward Summerhayes, aged 69, and his wife, Mrs. Ethel Summerhayes, aged 54, who were found dead in a ■ Darlinghurst flat, died from the effects | of poisoning, caused by a leakage from | another flat in the building which was J being fumigated. As the couple were in comfortable ! financial circumstances, both owning property and having money in the bank, ; the cause of the tragedy seemed a mystery. When tests made by the Government analyst proved negative, the detectives made inquiries from other occupants of the building about the habits of the couple, and they learned that Mr. and Airs. Summerhayes were seli dom seen. The police were also .told ; that, a few days before the bodies were | found, fumigators warned the occupants of the other flats in the building that the flat opposite the one occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Summerhayes was to be sealed and fumigated. They knocked on the door of the Summerhayes' flat, but, as there was no answer, it was presumed that they were out. This gave the detectives the idea of re-sealing the flat which had been fumigated and testing it by burning sulphur inside. With officers of the Board of Health, they locked themselves in Mr. Summerhayes' flat. In 10 minutes fumes found their way into the flat in which the investigating party was locked. An examination suggested that the fumes had penetrated the flooring and passed through a cavity into the flat. The windows in this flat were closed when the bodies were discovered.