FAMILY WIPED OUT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 194, 6 November 1934, Page 5

FAMILY WIPED OUT

MURDER AND SUICIDE A WAIKATO TRAGEDY FARMER’S FINANCIAL WORRIES Press Association —Copyright Hamilton, November 5. An entire family of four was wiped out in a shocking domestic tragedy which occurred at a small dairy farm at Horsham Downs, five miles 'from Hamilton, at 11.30 this morning. The victims were Harry T. Rogers, a farmer aged 23, his wife, Marion Isabel Golden Rogers, aged about 26, Barbara Rogers, aged two and a-half years, and Nola Rogers, aged 10 months.

The first indication that anything was amiss came when Mr. Shepherd, a brother of Mrs. Rogers, who is employed on' Rogers’ farm, called at the cottage at 12.30 p.m. He ■ was shocked to find his sister lying dead in the wash-house, which adjoins two rooms of the cottage. . ....

Without investigating further he rushed back to get a neighbour, Mr. G. M. Williamson. The latter went to Rogers’ cottage, where' he found all the members of the family dead. Rogers was lying on his face in a bedroom v/ith a pea-rifle partly underneath him, In the same room, lying in a cot, was the child Barbara, also dead. The body of, the baby, Nola, was found in a pram in the kitchen. Shot at Close Range All the victi:-~> had been shot at close range with a pea-rifle. The body of Mrs. Rogers, which also contained a pearifla bullet, was found lying on the back in the wash-house. It was obvious that she was shot while washing. The Rogers had been on the farm since last June. The farm is of 50 acx-es and the family was milking 50 cows. The house was erected when the Rogers entered into occupation. Although they were not well-known in the district they had been exceedingly popular.

Mr. Williamson stated this afternoon that Rogers visited his farm (about a mile away) at 11 o’clock this morning to return wire strainers he had borrowed. He was then normal and gave no indications of any stress or worry. ■lt is stated, however, that Rogers was given to worry and had been in a depressed state for some time. . He is said to have suffered financial worries. Several articles of clothing were found hanging on a clothes line, and there was another tub full of washing in the wash-house where Mrs.' Rogers met her death.

Investigations by the police at Rogers' farm this afternoon point to the theory of triple murder and suicide. No notes or any indication of Rogers’ intentions were found. " ’ • •

Mrs. Rogers returned only a few days ago from a holiday with the children. There is no access to the house except over the paddocks.