FARM TRAGEDY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18550, 9 November 1934, Page 10

FARM TRAGEDY

f £ ■ ......». l!l|PINa OF DEAD FAMILY .V• ■ ’ EVIDENCE AT INQUEST t : vfe ~ jtateuent by relative

t: ■ 8 • The iqquests the .deaths of Henry 'ndcs Ramis. 25, farmer, of Horsham )ovmn, Marion Isabella.Gouldem Rogers, ?, his wife, and their two children, iarSSra E(iilh Rogers, two years, and .'ola? Marion Rogers, six months, were peisd hofai* the corner, Mr. S. L. at«fton,',f?.>L, at Hamilton, on. Tuesatyl : Tfaff 'deceased were found dead in heiiß.hprheV : ’ a small farm cottage, at idfirnam ‘Howttsj with bullet wounds in heir-heads. _

DMmUWilliam Wyatt Shepherd, farm iah«i4lprshani Downs, said that for the ast3hraie.nidirUi9. lie had'been working or fchis brother-in-law, Henry -Tudor lagers. Witness went into the Rogers’ louje-at ,11.30 ,a.m. on Monday and had i cap of. ,tea ( w3h his sister, His nother-in-law was aw;;y at . the time, litvito/jßQpe to Mr. J. M. Williamson s farn|!to r rMurn some wire strainers which

hor-littd. hummed, Mt’ s - Mg?**'. waS hahfaVatid well, and as far as witness knisMSlVisSittg had occurred to- upset her. : ■ Wbeh-t?itness and Kis sister had had a oup. of tea, his .brother-in-law retutfyM. .AVMnesa r . ■

cup of tea. Rogers said he would, and witness left the house. Mrs. Rogers was then in the washhoues washing clothes. Witness went to Williamson’s to obtain a box for some pigs which ho intended to take to the market oil the following day. He was away for half an hour. When he returned, he saw Mrs. Rogeirs lying on the washhouse floor. She had been shot through the head. Nola was in her perambulator m tfie kitchen and had been shot in the head. Rogers was lying dead: on the floor of the bedroom.

INTEREST ON MORTGAGE: PAID The pea-rifle found in the house near Rogers’ body was owned by witness’ brother. Leonard Batt Shepherd, of (fambrulge, Rogers purchased a packet of cartridges on October 30. Rogers j fjild him there were no bullets available on Sunday lasf. The relations between i Rogers and his wife were happy and 1 friendly, and witness had never heard of any trouble between them. Rogers \yas very fond of his wife and children.’

Leonard ’Shepherd and his wife visited tjie Rogers on Sunday. Prior to their arrival Rogers-v Was very depressed, bill lie was much more cheerful tutor. Rogers Was prone to worry about, trifles. Tie, was not. unusually depressed on the morning of the tragedy. Rogers had

told him that ho could not, see how he could make the farm pay. Rogers had no occasion to worry, but the finances of the farm did worry him. Assuming that Rogers shot his wife and children and then shot himself, witness could assign no reason for the deed. Rogers owned a farm of 55 acres, on which lie

milked 25 cows. The farm was bought for £26 an acre* but. no deposit was ipjaid. Mr. TE. N. Miller, of Hamilton,

was Ilia mortgagee. Rogers had paid the last 11icirInly instalment of interest, and he had .sufficient money to pay the next quarter's interest when it became due. The inquests were adjourned.