MYSTERIOUS DEATH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3969, 8 April 1930, Page 20

MYSTERIOUS DEATH.

PALMERSTON NORTH TRAC EDY.

MEDICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES SUICIDE.

PALMERSTON N.» April 4. The circumstances surrounding the death of Walter Edwan Price, builder, of Paljnerston North, were the subject of an inquiry by" the coroner (Mr J. L. Stout, S.M.) this morning. The deceased was found dead in a bedroom of his home in Featherston street with a gunshot wound Jiear the mouth. Dr King gave evidence of being called to deceased-s house. The body was on the floor, with the head under the bed as far as the chin. The deceased was clad in pyjamas, with a sheet and blanket beneath the lower part of his body. The lower part of the left side of his face was concealed by blood from the mouth. There were no obvious marks of violence, and no weapon of any description was found in the room. There was nothing to suggest that the deceased had met a violent or unnatural death, and the body had apparently not been moved since death. A post-mortem examination after the cleansing of the face revealed a wound in the form of a hole below the left angle of the mouth, obviously the result of a gunshot wound. The track of the missile was traced into the cranial cavity, and the appearances suggested a shotgun, fired at point-blank range. Continuing his evidence, Dr King said he telephoned the information to the police station, and accompanied a constable to the deceased’s house. He then informed John Price that his father met his death through a gunshot wound. A further post-mortem examination showed that an extensive fracture of the base of the skull had resulted in death being instantaneous. A number of slightly irregular lead shots were removed from the brain substance. “ From observations,” said the doctor, “I am of the opinion that the evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of death having been caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. First, the deceased met his death where the body was found in a prepared position, as suggested by the sheet and blanket beneath him. The localisation of blood to the neighbourhood of the head, its absence elsewhere, and a portion of his dental plate lying two feet from the head confirm my first conclusion.” The doctor also stated that the position of the arms was consistent with those following a selfinflicted wound.

Replying to the coroner, witness said the likelihood of the wound being effected homicidally was remote. The coroner: From the position in which the body was found and the position of the wound, accidental death would not be possible? Witness: I would say no. Evidence was given by three other doctors expressing the opinion that the ■wound was self-inflicted.

Dr Sidney Tisdall said that from the size of the wound described a full shot charge was not present, but it had been considerably reduced. A full charge would have lifted the top of the head off. The deceased’s younger son, John Price, stated that he was 16 years of age and had passed the matriculation examination. On March 4, the day before his father’s death, he arrived home at about 4.30 p.m. His father had beep working at the house next door and did not come inside until 7 o’clock The deceased then appeared to be in very good spirits. Witness spent the evening alone -with his father, as his mother and brother were absent. After dinrier, witness settled down to do his home work while his father read a humorous book in the same room. Witness did not remember having any conversation with his father before he retired to bed, beyond asking him ■the meaning of a word • and whether the dock was correct." He left the dining room about 9.5 p.m.. leaving his father alone, and went to bed. His father had switched on the electric water-heater outside the kitchen door. Witness called out, “ Dad switch off my light,” and his father complied. He did not remember thanking his father or saying good-night to him. Witness thought his father then went to the bathroom, where it was his habit to undress. He later heard the deceased walking in the passage and switching off the light in his room. Witness went to sleep immediately, and did not awaken until 8 o’clock next morning. Detective Quirke: Did you hear any noise during the night?—No. Witness said that his room was about 12 feet away from that occupied by his father, and the bedroom door was open. In the morning he dressed in the bedroom and then went to the kitchen to look at the time. It was then about 8 o’clock. then went along the passage to the bathroom and, glancing into his father’s room, saw him lying on the floor. He went to the bathroom, and on the way back touched his father’s foot to wake him up. The foot was cold and stiff, and he guessed that his father was dead. His father was in the habit of sleeping on the floor, but on other occasions he. had had pillows. After touching his father’s foot witness went immediately to the telephone and tried to ring up four doctors. He could not remember their names, but in each instance a woman had answered the telephone. He remembered that two or three of the doctors were engaged, and one was on holiday. He epent about three minutes telephoning, and when he was unable to get any of the doctors he went across the road to Mr Nagel’s place. Miss Nagel answered the door, and told him that her father was in the backyard. His only words to Miss Nagel were: “Father is dead.” He then went round to the backyard and said to Mr Nagel> “My father is dead.” Witness did not renumber anything else being said. With Mr Nagel and a Mr Brogden he returned home. Mr Nagel succeeded in obtaining a doctor, and when the doctor arrived witness went into the bedroom with Mr Brogden and Mr Nagel and the doctor. Afterwards the doctor told witness that his father’s death was probably due to haemorrhage following an ulcerated stomach.. The police had been communicated with, and later a constable arrived. Witness remained around, the house while the constable was inside. In the evening Dr King •eturned with the constable, and asked witness whether there was a gun in the house. He told the doctor that there was a. pea-rifle in the garage, and

this weapon was procured about five minutes later. He was tb°n told that his father was shot, but he could not remember who told him. He remembered the conversation with the constable about 8.30 in the morning. He remembered remarking that he would have to leave the High School in the meantime, but he said that his mother would be all right because his father was insured. He spoke to a little boy, Kay Wilson, between 4.30 and 5 p.m. and told him that his father was dead. The little bov at first laughed and then went inside and told his mother. Later, when witness was feeding the fowls he saw the boy Wilson again. He could not remember whether or not he fed the fowls before the doctor and the police arrived. Detective Quirke: What did you say? Witness: I think I said “You will not see my father again.” Detective Quirke: Did you mention anything to the boy about your father being shot?—No.

Did you ever tell the boy that your father was shot?—l don’t remember that. Do you remember a conversation with Mr Nagel when you mentioned the word “ hanged ” ? —No. Do you remember telling Miss Nagel that you could not be hanged?—Yes. She said: “ I would not like to be in your shoes, John,” and I said, “ I could not be hanged for that.” In replying to Mr Innes, witness stated that he had always been on affectionate terms with his parents. His father was on affectionate terms with his mother. Witness knew that his father’s life was insured, as an insurance agent had come to the house on several occasions. He remembered his father saying to his mother: “I am insured now, and we have no need to worry about the future.” He had known that an insurance policy became void if a person covered committed suicide, although he did not know that the term specified was within 12 months. He did not know where he had obtained this information; it was just general knowledge. Mr-Innes: Were you out on your bicycle the night your father died? Witness (after a pause): No. Mr Innes: Why do you hesitate? —I am just recalling. Do you know any reason why your father should destroy himself? —No. He had no enemies so far as you know? —No.

The night your father died, you say you heard nothing, although the doors of both your father’s room and your own room were open? Witness: Yes, sir. On the Sunday tiefore I hurt my wrist and could not sleep for the next two nights. I slept very soundly that night. Mr Innes: Do I understand that you saw your father’s bare foot, touched it, and without further inquiry knew that he was dead? —Yes.— The coroner: What was the reason? Had you seen him before? Witness: I touched his foot. It was stiff and cold, and I knew it was death immediately. Mr Innes: You have nothing more to say about that? —No. Have you formed any conclusion how your father died? —My father would not kill himself.

How do you know that?—Because he was in such good spirits. He was reading a very humorous book, “ The Card,” by Arnold Bennett.

Mr Innes: You say you were never out of the house that night. Can you explain why you did not hear a shot fired a few feet away? Witness: No. I sleep heavily on occasions, and I sleep sometimes with the blankets over my head. To Mr Cooper witness stated that he went only one step into the bedroom and no further. From that position he could see the whole of his father’s body.

Mr Cooper: Did you say anything to him? —I could not say. I do not remember. The coroner: Did your father sleep on the floor without taking the mattress off the bed?—Yes, when my mother was away. Mr Cooper: On the few occasions when you saw him sleeping on the floor did you ever see him sleeping with his head under the bed? —No. Did you tell the boy Kay Wilson that your father was shot?—l am certain that I did not. I do not remember. If the boy Wilson comes here and says you told him that your father was shot would you deny it? —I would deny it. One of the deceased’s neighbours, Edward Wilson, stated that with his wife and Ross Meikle he returned home after midnight on the night of the tragedy. “ While we were talking in the bedroom we heard the sharp report of a gun, followed by a squeal like that of a cat mortally wounded. This would be at about 12.50 a.m.” Witness said that Meikle went out on to the verandah, but returned and told witness that he could not .hear anything. They then retired for the night. Coming home that night he had not seen any lights in Price’s house. At tea at 6 o’clock on the day that the body was found witness’s son, Kay, said:—“Funny boy John Price; said his father shot himself.” Ross Nathaniel Meikle told the court that he boarded with Wilson next door to the deceased’s house. On the night of March 5 he returned home with the Wilsons about 0.30 a.m. They had had a view of one side of Price’s house. At about 10 minutes to 1, soon after they returned home, they were disturbed by the sound of a shot. Witness listened, but the night was still, and hearing nothing further he went inside again.

INQUEST FURTHER ADJOURNED. PALMERSTON N„ April 5. The inquest concerning the death of Walter Edwan Price, builder, was resumed this morning. Mrs Wilson, whose husband gave evidence yesterday, said that from her knowledge her son did not see John Price between 5 p.m. and 5.45 p.m. on March 5. Edward Wilson (recalled) said he saw John Price at 5 p.m. on the day of the tragedy. No reference was made then as to the cause of his father’s death. E. G. Webber, a journalist, said that he saw John Price on March 8 and asked him when he first knew that his father was shot. He replied about 4 o’clock on the day he was found. George Gilbert Hancox gave evidence of hearing a report after midnight similar to the discharge of a gun, coming from the vicinity of Price’s house.

Dorothy Nagle, whose parents are neighbours of the Price family, said that on March 5 John Price came to their house about 8 a.m. and asked for her father. Price added, ‘ My father is dead.” He then went to see witness’s father. He was walking at his usual ordinary pace, and his demeanour was calm and collected. He was not flurried or excited. She saw John Price again at 10 a.m. at the latter’s home. His manner was not altered, and he showed no sign of agitation on either occasion. Witness went to Price’s home and helped the son to clean up the house between 10 and 10.30 a.m. His manner was just the same. Price came to their place to dinner, and later reference was made to his father’s death. During that time John Price was perfectly normal, and showed no signs of distress. William Nagle, a retired farmer, said he was informed by Price of his father’s death. He and Brogden and Price, jun., went to the house. On the arrival of the doctor they went into the bedroom. Witness said that the body before removal was under the bed up to the upper- part of the chest, the left hand was extended out from the body. Of this he was quite positive, and if the doctor said the opposite witness would still maintain that he was right. Witness said- that there -ve~e no signs of disorder about the room. From what he saw he would say that the deceased died where he was found. The coroner remarked that he would like to get to the bottom of the reason for John Price remarking to Nagles: “ I cannot be hanged for that.” Witness said he saw the deceased the night before he died. He then seemed cheerful, and talked about the house he was building. Witness had agreed to

finance Price’s building operations so long as the security was there. The inquest was adjourned till Friday next.