THE BUSH TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6732, 2 February 1909, Page 4

THE BUSH TRAGEDY

HARRY THOMAS'S FEARFUL' DEED.

THE INQUEST

Further particulars of tho tragedy at Waiowaka, near Pongaroa, whenHarry Thomas, at settler, shot dead his '' son William, aged 18, and then killed ' I himself, show that Mrs Thomas was. in tho bedroom at tho time, and on i bearing tho report of a gun, rushed out, meeting Thomas at the door. Ho pointed the gun at her, but she got hold of it, and after a short struggle, during which Thomas ejxclaimed "1 will kill you," she got away, ran 'oui> .sidc, and made for tho bush. Thomas ; followed his wifo and fired a shot at | her, but without, effect. He then dil rcctcd. attention to his daughter, aged i fourteen years, but she managed to | escape, and ran to the house of a settler named Itoadley, about a miie along the road. Thomas, seeing that ho ! could mot overtako her, went Daclc to j his house, loaded the gun again, and . put the barrel in his mouth, and fired, blowing his right check away. Thomas left Pahiatua on Friday accompanied by his wife B.nd daughter, and on their way ouL they met their only son, William, on the Huia road. Ho vras riding out, and they were driving. They went homo .together, and on arrival there the son proceeded to light a fire in tho kitchen stove. Mrs Thomas and her daughter, being wet, rain having fallen heavily on tho journey, went into the bedroom to change their clothes. Thomas unharnessed the horse from the gig. About five minutes afterwards ho entered the house, and the first tiling that attracted Mrs Thomas's attention was Lho report of tho gun, as already stated. She then saw her son William roll over in front of the fircplaco. An inquest -was held by Mr W. Bounce, J-P-, on Sunday. The jury returned the following verdict:— lhat the deceased, William John Thomas, met his death from a gunshot wound inflicted by his father, and that Harry Thomas met his death by a gunshot wound inflicted by himself; also that Harrv Thomas was of unsound mind, at the time from an injury he received some years ago, aggravated by Btrong drink."