DEATH OF TWO BROTHERS

Southland Times, Issue 23945, 11 October 1939, Page 4

DEATH OF TWO BROTHERS

EVIDENCE GIVEN AT INQUEST STORY OF TRAGEDY AT WAIMATE (United Press Association) UMARU, October 10. The inquest on the deaths at Waimate of George Edison' Bell -and Harold Hume Bell, single, brothers, who were found dead in a hut on the former’s farm at Elephant Hill on August 9, was held today before the Coroner, Mr D. C. A. S. Grut. Later an inquest was held into the death of Constable William Watt, who was fatally injured in a motor accident while investigating the Bell tragedy. Archibald Bell, a brother of George and Harold Bell, said George had been on the farm since 1919. Harold had been working with him for 14 years. While at the Great War George had, suffered a wound on the top of the head, receiving treatment in a London hospital. The brothers, who’ were attached to each other, were quiet, sober men. On August 9 the witness received a telephone call from. Constable Watt suggesting a visit to his brother’s place. He met Constable Watt there. The door and window of . the sleeping hut were locked from the inside and the door had to be forced. George Bell’s body was found on the floor near the door. His legs were pulled up to some extent and his head lay on the left side, testing on some sacks which were protruding from under the bed. The body was fully dressed. There was a handkerchief around his neck and it was tied at the back. The handkerchief was not tight and would have fitted up around the eyes: There was a .22 repeating rifle beside George Bell’s body, with the muzzle level with the centre of his chest. The butt was towards his feet. Harold Bell lay on his back with his arms outstretched. The body, was fully dressed. A single-shot .22 rifle was on the floor, with the butt near Harold’s feet and the muzzle pointing away. , . _, Both beds had been slept in. The place was tidy and there were no signs of .a struggle. , Dr R. Shackleton said that on August 3 George Bell came to see him, accompanied by his brother. George Bell was in a very excitable state, but Harold was quiet Both were concerned in a credulous way about their health. George stated that they had guns, in the car outside in case they were required to use them.. The witness said he had examined the bodies in the morgue. There were two wounds in George’s head and either would have caused unconsciousness, making further action impossible. He considered the range was six inches. The post-mortem was performed on August 10 and death had probably occurred five days before. There was no sign at the post-mortem of George’s war wound, but the tendency of all such wounds would, make people unstable, and on the night of the visit to witness George was mentally unstable. Harold was prejudiced about George’s condition. Both brothers had deluded themselves. The wound in Harold’s forehead showed that the muzzle of the rifle had been placed close against theskm, the wound being blackened. “MANNER VERY STRANGE” Frank Albert’Dugdale, a farmer, of Waikakahi, said that on the evening of July 31, George Bell had called on the witness, who was surprised to see him and asked if. there had been an accident. ‘ George said there had not. George’s manner was very strange. Sergeant D. B. Murray said George Bell and Harold Bell had called at the Police Station on August .4. George said he wanted to see the witness about his troubles. George related his troubles and the witness said there was nothing in them. When the brothers left both were satisfied that there was nothing in their worries. George, who was excited, did most of the talking, but neither suggested taking their own lives.

Detective-Sergeant Thomas described how he had taken over the case from Constable Watt, who was fatally injured in a motor accident en route to the Bell hut. The witness said it was impossible for any outsider to lock the Bells’ hut and leave the key inside. The window also was locked and there was no chimney. The place was clean and tidy and there were no signs of a struggle. The witness related investigations round the hut and experiments with the same brand of ammunition as found in the hut. When shooting through paper, scorching was marked up. to four inches. At five inches there was no trace. Without the aid of the trigger,of a rifle it would be impossible for a person to shoot himself in the forehead with the muzzle at a greater distance than three inches. Inquiries had shown that both brothers were highly respected and there was no evidence of any differences with any persons. The Coroner’s verdict was that George Bell’s death was caused by two bullets fired by Harold Bell while the latter was mentally unstable, Harold’s wound being self-inflicted. The Coroner said it was obvious that one of the two wounds in George Bell’s head could not have been selfinflicted, and the scorching established the cause of Harold Bell’s death. He added that in his opinion the tragedy started from George Bell’s war wound, George Bell having undoubtedly had an influence on Harold, bringing about the tragic result. At the inquest into the death of Constable Watt, evidence was given by William Bell, of Hook. The witness said he was en route to his brother’s place on the night of the tragedy when he found the bridge railing broken away at Elephant Hill creek. A car was in. the creek bed and Constable Watt was lying partly out of the car. Constable F. Black was holding on to the wire fence. The witness summoned assistance.

The Coroner’s verdict was that Watt died in hospital from injuries suffered as a result of misadventure while on duty, and he commended the fortitude of Constable Black in giving first aid while himself seriously injured.