THE PAPANUI TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20281, 14 December 1927, Page 9

THE PAPANUI TRAGEDY

CORONER’S FINDING. MURDER AND SUICIDE. MOTIVE EXPLAINED BY LETTERS (Special to Daily Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 13. “ Murder and suicide ” was the verdict returned at the inquest to-day concerning the deaths of Olive Edith Foster, aged 31, and her husband, William Alexander Foster, aged 36, at their home at 31 Godley avenue, Papanui, on Saturday morning. Foster killed his wife with an axe, and then took his own life by drowning himself in the bath. Letters written by Foster showed that he intended to kill his five children also. The milkman who discovered the bodies of Foster and his wife found four letters addressed to various persons, which subsequently showed that Foster had deliberately decided upon suicide, and indicated that he had perhaps discussed a death pact with his wife. When the inquest was resumed to-day Mr W. J. Hunter appeared for the relatives of Foster. Norman Alan Fraser, dairyman, told of finding a note under Foster’s milk can, which read ; “For God’s sake go for the police.” He opened the door and called out, but got no response. • He noticed four letters on an armchair in the living room. The children were all right in two separate rooms. Witness asked the boy, “Where is daddy?” and the child showed him the parents’ room. “ The door was shut, and I opened it,” witness added. “ I could see nothing but hands stuck out from under the blankets. I went over and pulled the blanket, back, and had a look. T saw a woman knocked about the head. Th e body was not quite cold.” Witness asked the neighbours to take care of th e children, and then informed the police. So far as he knew the Fosters were happy in their relations. Mrs Foster was a particularly nice woman. I visited the Fosters at their house on Friday evening,” said John James Hall, a . builder, who lives at Papanui. “ It was after 10 p.m., and I stayed until about 12,15. They seemed to be on very good terms, and I had supper with them. Later I received a letter from Foster.” Sergeant Hyland : Was it of a private nature?—Yes. Was there any indication that he intended taking his life?—Well, he thanked me for my kindness to him. The letter was handed up for the coroner’s perusal. To the Coroner, Hall said that Foster seemed “a bit gloomy ’’ when he went to see him. The Coroner: Did you discuss the charges alleged against him?—No. We saw that he was gloomy and tried to cheer him up. To Mr Hunter, Hall said that Foster was of an unusually highly-strung temperament. Was he a hard worker?—Yes, I think he worked too much. Had he other interests outside his school work? —Yes. He was fond of music and taught the piano and took a keen interest in football, swimming, and so on. I don’t know how he did it all. I told him several times that he was doing too much. Hall added that Foster was a stern father, but never unkind. Ho had been through a period of some mental strain?—Yes. He was worried?—There is no doubt about that; hut he was cheerful when I left him, and there was nothing then to indicate that he intended to kill himself. Dr Thomas L. Crooke, who examined the two bodies, said that Mrs Foster had been dead probably about three or four hours when he saw her at 9 a.m. Foster’s body, which was in the bathroom, presented the appearance of death by drowning. Mr Hunter: In your experience would you say that actions such as those in this case were due to homicidal mania? Dr Crooke: I suppose they usually are. The question is why should the man want to kill his wife? I, can understand his killing himself. “ Faster was in his usual health, but not cheerful, when I last saw him on Friday afternoon,” said Thomas A. Gates, headmaster of the Papanui Public School. He added that for some months past Foster had been suffering under a strain of heavy work and financial worry. He was a most efficient teacher. This witness, too, had received a letter from Foster, which was handed to the coroner. The Coroner: Did you know anything about the allegations being made about him?—l had heard somethin j. Did the police see you about it?—Only that day. Did you discuss it with Foster?—Ho made som e mention of it, but there was no discussion. Did he say anything about the truth or otherwise of the allegations?—He did not either deny or admit them at all. I left the matter to the police. Mr Hunter: Was he a dissipated man ? —No. He was so wrapped up in the things he took up that there was no time for any dissipations at all. The allegation against him was not of a very serious description?—No, I should not think so, as far as the police told me. Might there hav e been a complete defence of that charge?—Yes; there could have been quite a good defence. Detective Sergeant J. B. Young said that at 11 a.m. on Friday he had occasion to interview Foster at the Papanui School in regard to certain allegations that were made against him. “He was upset when he beard the allegations,” said the Detective Sergeant. “ The following morning I received a letter from him.” The Coronor: What was the nature of the allegations?—The nature of it was that he had been guilty of indecent assault on schoolboys. Did you tell him what allegations were made? — Yes. I read the statements of two schoolboys. This was at his request. He was not prepared to discuss the matter at all. He would not admit or deny the truth of it. The interview did not last more Ilian 15 or 20 minutes. You intended to make further inquiries? —Yes. Mr Hunter: Von did not inform him that a charge would be laid against him? —No. I had no idea then. The allegations themselves were not of a most serious description ?—No. The most serious part about it is that he was a master, and that the hoys were pupils. The Coroner: If they were true it would be regarded as inderent assault?—That is so. sir. F.vidcnco was given by Foster’s mother. .Margaret G, Foster, who said that she had received a letter from him the morning after the tragedy. She had last see-i him on Thursday evening, when ho seemed quite normal. The following letters written by Fester were handed to the coroner; To Detective Sergeant Young, Foster wrote in a legible, steady hand; " I’ve saved you a bit of unsavoury work, old man TheieTl he no need of a warrant. You knew I was guilty, hut you had only a very small corner of the case. The more you dug the more you would have found.' So cease fire! This job is over. Pigeon-hole the papers, and thank Cod von didn't have to see it through. Good inch.—W. A. Fester,” Then followed : “ I’m trying to bluff the coroner and iiiv family into thinking it was money troubles, so keep up the farce, there’s a sport.—W.A.F.”

Cable. The letter to Mr Gates was as follows: —“ Dear Mr Gates, —This is the end. Thank you for all your kindness, which turns out to have been wasted. You. are well rid of me. God bless you.—Vi'. A. Foster.” In a lengthy letter to Mr J. J. Hall, Foster wrote: ‘‘ A message from the dead for you and Gibbs. My past was too strong. It rose U P and hit me. I can t face prison, so I’m facing the judgment of God. He will best know what to do with a poor, miserable sinner like me. I have no hopes in heaven, but in hell, if I see you go past on your way to heaven. I’ll giv e you a wave in remembrance of all you have tried to do for me here. _ I hold no bitterness against anyone. I've landed myself in this mess and deserve all I get.’’ To his mother Foster wrote: “ I’m not mad. I know quite well what lam doing. I’ve made a mess of my life, and this is the only way out of it. I promised Olive I’d never go without taking her too. The kiddies will be better off dead. Good-bye, mother. Don't fret. God bless vou and help you to forget me. Forgive me. Your loving son, Willie.” In his verdict the Coroner said that Foster evidently was not normal, ” The act of killing 'his wife and leaving five young children without a parent shows,' too, that he was pot normal. So, too, does his suicide and the manner of it. On the other hand, the tetters written by him and- the note left for the milkman show that ho committed the acts after deliberation and with a realisation of their nature and consequences. Had lip been unsuccessful in his efforts towards suicide a jury, on the evidence before me. would not have been justified, in niv opinion, in finding him not guilty of murder on the f'i'iiiiiii of insanity. Tile inference might be drawn from the letter written by the deceased (o Iris mother that his wife consented to die, but all the circumstances of her life and deatli negative tin’s. If his possible suicide was mentioned between them she. in order to nut him off such a step, might have said that he would have, to take her, too. It might he said in favour of Foster that the nature of the indecent acts alleged against him constituted only the minimum essentials of indecent assault. It appeal’s from one of liis letters that the acts with respect to hoys were due to his being obsessed by certain ideas on juvenile sex matters. One of the letters shows, too. that it was his intention to kill the children, but fortunately thev were saved." The Coroner then returned a verdictthat Mrs Foster was murdered by her husband who then committed suicide by drowning in a hath.