ASPHYXIATION BY GAS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 500, 23 July 1932, Page 5

ASPHYXIATION BY GAS

TRAGEDY IN WANGANUI MOTHER AND INFANT DEAD FATHER’S TERRIBLE DISCOVERY

WANGANUI. Today. When Mr. Jack McCormack, a motorlorry driver for the New Zealand Express Company, returned to his residence at 22 Sydney Place at 9.30 p.m, yesterday he discovered the body of his wife in the kitchen with the head in a gas oven and the house fiiied with the fumes of gas. In another room adjoining the kitchen was the body of the infant daughter, who had apparently been asphyxiated in her sleep, -i.; ■

A neighbour, Mrs. Delaney and Nurse Jack were hastily summoned, and Dr. F. C. Hutchison was also cj: mnmnicated with, but on arrival could only pronounce life extinct. He expressed Die opinion that death must have occurred about two hours before the discovery. Mrs. Clara Elizabeth McCormack, who was ?>2 years cf age, had been suffering from depression for some weeks, but everything in the house was undisturbed by the husband, whose dinner, nicely cooked, was ready on the stove, awaiting his arrival. The head cf the unfortunate wom,an was covered with a coat. The infant daughter, Patricia, six months of age, was in her cot in Die adjoining room, which was filled with gas fumes. In another room of the tour.vocmed cottage was the only other child of Mr. and Mrs. McCormack, but owing to the windows being

open did not suffer from the ga fumes.

Mr. McCormack left Wanganui at 10 a.m. yesterday for Hawera, and had made the return trip late yesterday afternoon, reaching the city after 9 p.m, A cousin, a Mr .Hartley, of 70 Pitt Street, had pasted the residence in Sydney Place about 6.30 p.m, and noticed ?J light in the child’s bedroom. From this fact it is surmised that the tragic affair oc. curred after that hour.