DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 179, 1 August 1932, Page 8

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

, FATHER AND SMALL SON DEAD IN GAS-FILLED ROOM I Per Press Association.! AUCKLAND, July 31. A double tragedy involving the death of a child aged live year and his father, occurred in a flat in Wynyard Street on Saturday night. The bodies of the father and sou were discovered in bed this morning. The father was William Charles Morrison, aged 50 years, a married man residing apart from his wife, while Yus son was John Albert -Morrison, aged five years, an only child. The boy, who lived with his mother, Mrs. Ida Morrison, a nurse of Northcote, was visiting his father for the week-end. The child arrived on a visit to the father on Friday afternoon and on Saturday the pair went to see the League Test match at Carlaw Park, but before the game was finished the father, who had been in ill-health for the past three months, complained of feeling unwell and thoy returned to his apartment. After they had taken their evening meal, the boy was put to bed at about 9 o’clock. Thu father was playing cards with the owner of the house and others until about 10.30 p.m., when he retired. Ht then appeared to be depressed. At about 9 o’clock this morning the owner of the house went to the bedroom with deceased’s breakfast, but after knocking received no reply. She then noticed a smell of gas and notified the other residents of the house, one of whom summoned the police. Constables, on arrival, found both the father and son in bed, death having taken place several hours previously. The bodies were lying side by side in a threequarter-sized bed. The father, who was dressed in pyjamas and shirt, was lying on his back in a natural position, while the son, who was also in his night attire, lay in a similar attitude of repose. Both were covered by blankets and two rugs, which were not disturbed.

The constables discovered that gas had been allowed to escape from a gas heater, which was turned on but not lighted, and stood at the foot of the bed. This heater was connected with several feet of flexible tubing to a gas stove and fed through a slot meter. That the tragedy was not accidental was shown by the fact that the two windows in the room were closely shut. A scarf had been placed over a crack at the top of the door and an old sheet had been stuffed into the ventilator in the kitchenette and adjoining bedroom. In the pocket of the son’s pyjamas was a note asking his father to “tell him fairy stories in the morning.** Morrison was formerly in the employ of the Electric Power Board, whose service he joined in 1909. He saw war service, losing one leg, and on his return rejoined the board’s staff. About three months ago he retired, giving as his reason ill-health, and stating that after a holiday he intended to join his sister in business in New Plymouth. On his retirement tributes to his work were paid by members of the board. His mother, Mrs. Isaac Morrison, is a resident of New Plymouth.