MAEREWHENUA TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22894, 30 May 1936, Page 22

MAEREWHENUA TRAGEDY

DEATH OF NOLAN FAMILY . CORONER’S INQUEST (From Ops Special Reporter) . ( OAMARU, May. 29. The inquest into .the circumstances of the Maerewhetma tragedy, which occurred oh February 26, when the Nolan family—Arthur. Douglas Nolan, Thelma Mabel Nolap, Lindon Patrick Bentley Nolan, and /Anthony Francis Nolan—were. found . incinerated,;in their house, was, Ji<eld in , the Qatparu , Courthouse today before the coroner (Mr W. 11. Frith).' Sergeant M'Gregor conducted the inquiry for the police, and Mr H. J. B.' Grater for the relatives of the deceased.

, Dr E. S. Jk Fitzgerald gave evidence that he , inspected the remains of the Nolan family on February 27. In the aite.of the front right bedroom were the remains of two bodies. Oh a wire mattress were the charred remains of a body about sft lOin long. Witness was convinced that the body was that' of an adult male about sft lOin in height. To the left and on the ground was another body, the position of which witness described. The bones were those qf an adult, and suggested those of an adult woman. Behind this room ' and also bn a wire mattress were , the charred remains of a child's body, curled up as if It had been asleep.’ .'WltaesaiTOhsiclered the remain? were those of a child about seven or eight years of age. In the left front room were the charred remains'of ! an infant between bhe and two years of age. On February 28 he conducted a post mortem at the Oaraaru Morgue on the ■ remains thought to be, those of Arthur Douglas Nolan. There were three holes in the posterior wall of the left thorax, but it .Was . impossible to say whether they were caused by a wound or by burping. . The middle hole could have been caused by burning. There . wM also, a Targe perforating wound, near, thb. heart. The left lung was collapsed, and there was a haemorrhage into the whole of the right lower and upper lobes, and upper: position of the lower lobe. In witness’s opinion death was caused by severe internal htemorrhage caused by a wound of the aorta and must have occurred in a few moments. The wound would be consistent with a bullet wound, which if fired at close quarters, might have passed through the posterior wall. He then conducted a post mortem on the remains thought to ba those of Mabel Nolan. The body was almost completely incinerated, and it was impossible to.state the cause of death other than of incineration. Witness next held a, post mortem on the remains of the body thought to be that of Lindon Patrick Bentley Nolan. Practically all the skull bones were burnt, but a portion of brain tissue, which remained showed no. evidence of injury or of a foreign body. The left .plural cavity was full of blood, showing intensive haemorrhage. A blood clot suggested a wound of the heart or pericardium,. and death was. caused by severe internal injury to The pericardium and left lung. The injuries would be consistent with a bullet wound passing through the pericardium and heart causing haemorrhage, and death would have been almost instantaneous. The remains of the infant body, believed to be that of Francis Nolan, was almost completely incinerated, except for a small part of the thorax-and abdomen. The pericardium contained a blood clot, and the stomach had a small wound about the size of threepence. The wound in the stomach indicated a perforating wound consistent with a rifle cartridge of .552 calibre. The evidence of severe internal injury to the thorax cavity was shown by the hffimorrhage into the pericardial cavity and plural cavity. There was also a wound in the stomach, so it was probable that another bullet was fired into the chest cavity as well. Death must have been instantaneous. William James Ryan, dentajn surgeon, of Oamaru, gave evidence of having ex- j amined three exhibits of teeth, from j which he was able to conclude that one | exhibit belonged to a person aged about j fcight years, and another exhibit of teeth to a child of six or eight years. ! Charles Douglas Adams, farmer, Macrcwhenua, said on February 26 he was mustering sheep about two miles from Nolan’s when he noticed black smoke issuing from the house and im- ; mediately galloped there. On his arrival he searched for the occupants, but found none. R. Simpson and Mrs J.,

Here then arrived and air made a further search. The first time he noticed a body was after the police arrived. He did not see anyone about the hills or road before the fire. Nolan, who was an agreeable man, and his wife got on well together. He last saw Nolan on February 24, and Mrs Nolan about the middle of December.

Janies Joseph Hore, farmer, Tokarahi, said Mrs Nolan was ’?s daughter, an'd she and her husband hed got, on well together. Between the birth of the two children Mrs Nolan had been treated for a complaint at the Oamaru Hospital for six months, Travis had' been sickly and his (witness) daughter had been worried about - his health. Witness. spoke to her on-the telephone on, February^2s, when. she seemed cheery. The same night Mr Nolan, called for a bag of wheat, and he also was cheery. On the following day, witness went to the scene of the fire with his wife, but could not find the occupants. He knew his daughter and 'son-in-law occupied the same room—the- front bedroom. The Nolan’s had a rifle, and his daughter, who was a good shot, used it for shooting rabbits. Witness recalled that his daughter had mentioned she was not too well, but it was not regarded as serious, and no importance was Attached to the statement. Since, it had Occurred to him that she was concealing the sjtatc'.of her health so as to obviate worry. , At one time she had suffered a complaint, but apart from natural illness she was all right. If Mabel were : responsible for the tragedy witness thought her brain must have snapped during the night. He was sure it was not premeditated.

Robert Simpson, Tokarahi, stated that he and hi? brothers about two and a-half years ago gave permission to the Nolans to live in the house on their farm at Maerewhenua. The Nolai~did not have to pay any rent. . Witness then described the house where the occupants slept. He saw Mrs Nolan on February 25, when he called at the house, and she did not appear depressed. James Simpson corroborated the evidence of his brother, and added that he had not seen Mrs Nolan -using the rifle, though he had heard her say that she had shot rabbits. About 13 months ago locks were- fitted to all the windows of the house. j William Brash Hutchison, Tokarahi, ?aid he had known the late Arthur Douglas Nolan for about the past six years. He always appeared to be a very decent type of man, and a real che6ry type of worker. &olan was supposed to come to work for Jiim on February 26, but Tie did not turn up. He went out mustering without Nolan, and at 8.40 a.m, he noticed smoke rising from Nolan’s house. It was a thin column of. smoke, and he did not attach much attention to it, as he considered it must be burning rubbish. Both Nolan and his wife appeared to get on well together..' * - • - George Roland Hore, 'Tokarahi, said that the deceased was his brother-in-law. Mr Nolan, a shearer, musterer and drover, was a good deal away from home. Prior to. buying a car six weeks before the tragedy, Mrs'Nolan had got out very little. Both husband and wife were happy together. , Witness thought, however, that at the time' of Mrs Nolan’s visit to their place she was worrying over the baby. ; Now and again she wished she was nearer a school. Witness last saw the husband and wife together on the Sunday before the tragedy at his father’s place. Both then seemed all right. He saw Mr Nolan again on the night of February 25 in his usual health. On the Saturday or Monday before the tragedy Nolan borrowed from witness a half-box of cartridges. Nolan went shooting that day. Elizabeth Alison Hore, wife of William J. A. Hore, Tokarahi, said she.had known Mrs Nolan almost all her life and Mr Nolan since the marriage. Since coming to live at Simpson’s place witness used to ring them on occasions, and Mrs Nolan had complained about being off colour. In January last, when Mrs Nolan and her two children came to stay at witness’s place, Mrs Nolan was run down. She was always industrious, and after staying with them for some time appeared to buck up. At no time did she give any indication of an intention to injure herself. William Arthur James Hore, Tokarahi, brother of Mrs Nolan, said he had no indication his sister was unwell before she came to his father’s. At witness’s place she appeared run down, depressed. and somewhat nervous. Witness thought that the loneliness was affecting her. He was of the opinion that, taking all the circumstances into consideration, Mrs Nolan suffered from nerves to such an extent that it got the better of her and she destroyed her husband and children, and probably herself. _ If she did this-witness was sure the action was unpremeditated. She was worried unnecessarily over her children’s health, for although thin they were quite healthy. Jessie Barnes, Maerewhenua, said that no one lived beyond the Nolans on the sheep run road. She had known Mrs

Nolan since school days ,and'Mr Nolan since they Came to live in the district. The Nolans visited witness’s home on the Friday prior to the tragedy, when Mrs Nolan seemed to be in her usual health. During the visit Mr Nolan went out shooting alone. The Nolans appeared to get on well together, and Mrs Nolan was fond of the children. Mrs Nolan, who weighed about six stone, was of the determined type. Twelve months prior to the birth of the last child she suffered from a woman’s complaint. Mrs Nolan was ambitious and seemed dissatisfied with her lot. Nolan was a fine type of man t and prior to the tragedy was as cheer/ as usual. Hazel Isobel Barbes, residing with her parents at Mnerewhenua, stated that about 8 p.m. on February 25 Arthur Nolan called in his ear at her home for the mail. He was then in his usual health, and , quite talkative. She had known Mrs Nolan nearly all her life, and Mr Nolan for three years. Witness often stayed at the Nolans’ ..house when Mr Nolan was away, but not so much just before the tragedy. Mrs Nolan was in the habit of locking all the doors that would lock. She left her window open, but the others were libbed. Witness knew Nolan had r rifle which was always behind the scullery door into the kitchen. Once 18 months ago Mrs Nolan took it into the large middle bedroom. Mrs Nolan was very nervous of any escapees from the Special School, and she locked both windows, ' drew the blinds, and locked the door on that occasion. Mrs Nolan said she did not like living where she was and wished for a more cefttral house.

Doris Blanchard. Maerewhenua, said she had known Mrs Nolan nearly all her life, and Mr Nolan for 12 months. Witness questioned Nolan a week prior to the tragedy about his wife’s health, and was told she was not keepiifg very well. Richard Dorsey, Tokarahi, farmer, said he owned a sheep run adjoining Simpson Brds. His was the last on the road. He called, at Nolan’s about Christmas, when Mrs Nolan told witness she was not very well. Witness offered to get in toudj with her mother regarding her condition, but Mrs Nolan said her • mother was always worrying over her. On one occasion the deceased had told her that the baby was not as well as it might be, and complained of the distance the boy had to go to school. Before giving her evidence, Annie Spillane, • , former s ihoolmiatress at Maerewhenua, said she did not wish all she had said in her statement to be published. The coroner commented that making a statement to retract parts of it was

a cowardly sort of thing. Continuing, witness said Mrs Nolan had been worried about Liu.don Nolan, thinking lie should be bigger for his age. Witness considered there was no cause for concern regarding the boy’s ■ physique. Mrs Nolan was highly strung, and was of the type that worried unnecessarily. Mrs Nolan did not like living at Simpson Bros.’ farm, and once told witness she would like to leave the district. Mr Nolan ’said his wife was not happy to be in the house and it was not right for her to be there. She had seen no strangers in the district. At the school break-up on February 19 Mrs Nolan seemed unhappy. Hiram - Smith, employed by Robert Jenkins, storekeeper, of Tokarahi, stated that he had supplied Arthur D. Nolan with 50 rounds of .22 calibre cartridges, and produced the book with records of the sale as required by the Anns Act. Leonard Frank Wright, farmer at Dansey’s Pass, said he had employed Nolan at one time. Witness corroborated evidence regarding the deceased ’being called away on account of his wife’s health, and in respect to Mrs Nolan being afraid of Special School escapees. Betty Wraight gave similar evidence, and stated that Mrs Nolan had indifferent health.

Detective Ernest Milton Thomas, of Timaru, said he conducted inquiries into the deaths of the Nolan family. He was present when the post mortems were performed. No foreign matter was found in any of the bodies. After detailing the examination of the ashes witness stated that he visited the scene of the tragedy and made investigations, but found nothing to assist in solving the cause of the deaths. He also made inquiries, from all the settlers in the Tokarahi and Maerewhenua districts, assisted by Sergeant M'Grcgor. The Nolans were popular and they did not appear to have a single enemy. On April 4 witness received from Sergeant M‘Gregor three .22 cartridge shells and the barrel of a .22 Savage sporting repeating rifle which had been found on the scene of the tragedy. He had handed these to Professor P. H. Powell. The detective then submitted a report from the professor as follows: —Professor Powell, professor of electrical engineering at present attached to the engineering laboratory of ' Canterbury College, said he fired several shots with the rifle. Two of the shells submitted to him had been in a fire, their surfaces being oxidised and burnt. Witness made tests,

and the results were sufficiently conclusive to show that probably all the shells had been fired by the rifle. The statement of Annie Amelia Sproat, mother of Arthur D. Nolan, was read by Detective Thomas. Mrs Sproat said her son was born in Christchurch on August 24, 1907, and there was no insanity in the family. He. was of a happy disposition and had told her 12 months previously that his prospects were bright. He was not embarrassed financially. Sergeant T. J. M'Gregor said that on February 26 he and Constable Thyne proceeded to Maerewhenua to make investigations, and they arrived at 3.10 p.m.. when the house and outbuildings were completely destroyed. The bodies could not be removed that day, but on the following day he returned to the scene with Dr Fitzgerald and numbered the bodies 1 to 4. No. 1, supposed to be the remains of the 12-months-old child, Anthony Nolan, was lying on the\ wire of a cot in the front sitting room on the west side, where the front window was. Only part of the chest remained unconsumed. No. 2, thought to be the remains of Thelma Mabel Nolan, lay on the ground where the front bedroom 'was. The body was badly charred, and was lying on the left side with the right shoulder raised, the left leg being drawn up, and the front facing towards No 4 body. Near No. 2 body and between it and the door which was leading into this room lay the barrel and breach of a .22 Savage sporting repeating rifle. The breach was two feet from the right shoulder of this body, and the muzzle three feet two inches from the pelvis. The muzzle pointed towards the passage. Near No. 2 body on the wire of a double bed lay No. 4 body, evidently that of an adult male and supposed to be that of Arthur Douglas Nolan. No. 3 body, supposed to be that of Lindon Patrick Bentley Nolan (aged seven years) was lying on the wire wove of a single bed where the middle bedroom was on the east side. This body lay

anglewise across the wire. Only the charred trunk, about 22 Inches, remained. The remains were removed to the Oamaru Morgue. Continuing, Sergeant M'Gregor stated that he searched the debris of the fire on March 5 and found an empty brass .22 cartridge in the ashpan of the kitchen range, and next day he found eight pieces of molten lead in what was the back bedroom, also three pieces of lead and two pieces of molten brass from where the bathroom was. No trace of strangers in the district could be found at the time of the tragedy. It was generally known that Mrs Nolan had a horror of escapees from the Otekaike Special School, but inquiries from the manager revealed none was absent at the time. Nolan’s house was situated in a lonely locality. Constables John O’Connell (Duntroon), Owen Murphy (Kurow), and M. Thyne (Oamaru) gave evidence as to investigations carried out and measurements taken.

Giving his verdict the coroner (Mr W. H.-Frith) said that he had carefully considered the whole of the lengthy evidence produced in connection with this very sad tragedy. The evidence disclosed that very thorough and conscientious investigation had been made by the polite. As a result of these investigations lie was convinced that no outside person was connected with the unfortunate affairs in any way. The bodies had been so badly incinerated that their identification was very uncertain, but there was no doubt that the remains were those of Mr and Mrs Nolan and two children. Ills verdict would be that Arthur Douglas Nolan, Anthony Travis Nolan, and Thelma Mabel Nolan mot their deaths at Maerewhenua on February 26, their charred remains being found in the smouldering ruins of their home. As to Arthur Douglas, Lindon Patrick, and Anthony Travis Nolan the cause of death would be from wounds inflicted by bullets discharged from a rifle. Owing to the body of Thelma Mabel Nolan being so extensively. charred, it was impossible to state definitely the cause of death, although it would be a fair assumption to make that her death was also caused by bullet wounds. There was no doubt that the rifle found in the ruins was the one used. There was no conclusive evidence as to who had been responsible, but it must be taken that no outsider had been implicated in any way. The coroner expressed sympathy with the relatives. Mr Grater said Mr J. J. Hore and other relatives wished him to express their appreciation of the thoroughness with which the police had investigated the whole tragedy.