NOT SUICIDE PACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23005, 7 October 1936, Page 11

NOT SUICIDE PACT

DEAD COUPLE IN SYDNEY FLAT. LEAKAGE OF CYANIDE FUMES (From Our Own* Correspondent) SYDNEY, Sept. 28. Police are now convinced that Edward Summerhayes, aged 69, and his wife, Ethel Summerhayes, aged 54, who were found dead in a Darlinghurst (Sydney) flat in circumstances strongly suggesting a suicide pact, died from the effects of cyanide poisoning, caused by a leakage from another fiat in the building which was 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, and resulted in the original theory of suicide being discounted. When the tests for poison by the Government Analyst proved negative, the detectives made inquiries from other occupants of the building about the habits of the couple and they learnt that Mr and Mrs Summerhayes were seldom 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 the couple was to be sealed and treated with cyanide. The fumigators knocked on the door of the Summerhayes's flat, but as there was no answer it was presumed that they were out. This gave the detectives the idea of resealing the flat which had been fumigated and testing it by burning sulphur inside. With officers of the Board of Health, they locked themselves in the 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 Summerhayes' flat. The windows in this flat were closed when the bodies were discovered.