MILKING SHED TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22052, 7 September 1933, Page 10

MILKING SHED TRAGEDY

SUSPECT’S BODY FOUND DEATH APPARENTLY SELFINFLICTED END OF DIFFICULT SEARCH (Per United Press Association.) TAUMARUNUI, September 6. The body of John Grylls, a farm labourer, aged.2o years, single, was found at Owhango at 12.45 p.m. to-day by Detective J. Walsh, of Wanganui, in the presence of Inspector Ward, of Wanganui. There was a bullet wound in the deceased’s forehead, apparently self-inflicted. Sergeant G. Sivyer, of Taumarunui, and about 15 other police were searching the bush in the vicinity at the time the body was found. The body was on the edge of a precipice in thick scrub and fern with a rifle alongside it. It would appear that Grylls shot himself the same day as he disappeared (Sunday), The location of the body was near the Whakapapa River, about a quarter of a mile from the cowshed where Miss Rosoman was found murdered. Apparently Grylls went to the edge of the cliff, intending that his body should fall over and drop 250 feet, as he shot himself, but thevbody remained on the ledge. The spot is inaccessible and it was only through Detective Walsh noticing that the fern had been disturbed in the vicinity that he came across the body, which might have remained hidden in the fern for some time. Grylls, who was suspected of murder, occupied the hut alongside the cowshed where Miss Rosoman’s body was found, and was not seen since Saturday night, when he attended a dance at which Miss Rosoman was present. The police have been searching night and day since Sunday in the bush and all roads and bridges have been watched on the assumption that Grylls, who was experienced in the bush, was attempting to escape. The body was brought to Taumarunui this afternoon, Grylls was a prominent footballer locally and was a very powerful man. Constable C. Chestnut, of Eaetihi, who was searching in the bush for Grylls, had not returned when darkness came to-night and the police despatched a party this evening to search for him. A shocking tragedy occurred about 8.30 on September 3 in the township of Owhango, 15 iniles south of Taumarunui, when the body of Miss Jean Rosoman, aged 23 years, was found at the rear of the milking shed with a bullet wound in the head and other injuries caused apparently by a pick handle. It appears that Miss Rosoman and Mr and Mrs D. Laing and a child, aged 10, had been milking and returned from the shed to the house. After breakfast Miss Rosoman returned to the milking shed to ■ clean the cans, and Mr Laing went out - to the paddocks. Children playing on the road near the milking shed heard the rattling of tins in the cowshed and went over to ascertain the cause. It was then that they found the young woman’s body. They then called their father and mother. The children state that they saw a man wearing a white shirt and trousers disappearing across the paddocks. The body when found was lying in a crouched position at the rear of the separator room. The head had been knocked about and a bullet had apparently entered the head from the hack. When the Taumarunui police arrived they found a pick handle with hair on it near the body. A further investigation showed a bullet embedded in the wall near where the girl had been washing cans. The deceased was employed by the Laings, with whom she lived. The scene of the tragedy was in the main street of Owhango, not far from the railway station.