FAMILY WIPED OUT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 128, 1 June 1936, Page 8

FAMILY WIPED OUT

TRAGEDY NEAR OAMARU BODIES IN BURNED HOUSE THEORIES AT INQUEST [ Per Piess Association ] OAMARU May 30. An. inquest into the Meerewhenua tragedy of February 26 when Arthur Douglas Nolan, his wife, Thelma Mabel Nolan, Lindon Patrick Nolan, aged 7, and Anthony Francis Nolan, an infant, were found incinerated in a burned house was held yesterday at Oainaru. Dr. Fitzgerald described the positions of the bodies when found. In the front bedroom were the charred remains of a man’s body on a wire mattress. The remains of a female adult were on the ground. In the other room were the remains of two children. In witness’ opinion, the man’s death was caused by an injury to the heart consistent with a bullet wound. A postmortem examination of the bodies of the children indicated wounds consistent with bullet wounds. The woman’s body was too badly charred to indicate the cause of death. Charles Douglas Adams, a farmer, gave evidence that he noticed the fire, but arrived too late to enter the house. Nolan was an agreeable man, and got on well wi.th his wife. Several witnesses testified to the good relations between the couple. Janies Joseph Hore, father of Mrs. Nolan, said his daughter had not been too well. If she had been responsible for the tragedy her brain must have snapped during the night. He was sure it was not premeditated. William Brash Hutchison said that Nolan was a very decent type of man, and a cheery worker. George Roland Hore said that his sister appeared to be worrying about the baby’s health when he saw her six weeks before the tragedy. Elizabeth Alison Hore said that Mrs. Nolan had been run down in health. William Arthur James Hore said that his sister suffered from nerves and he thought they had got the better of her and that she had destroyed her husbanld, the children, and herself. If that were so, witness was sure her action was unpremeditated. Other witnesses said that Mrs. Nolan had not been well, and had worried about the children’s health. Detective Ernest Thomas gave evidence that investigations failed to reveal the cause of death. The Nolans were very popular, and did not have a single enemy. bergeant McGregor said that when the bodies were found the barrel of a repeating rifle was lying near the woman’s body. There was no trace of strangers in the district at the time of the tragedy. In returning a verdict that the deaths of Nolan and the children were due to rifle wounds, the coroner (Mr. W. Frifth) said that a thorough and conscientious investigation had been made by the police. He was convinced that no outside person was connected with the affair. The bodies were so badly charred that identification had been very uncertain, but he had no doubt that they were the remains of the Nolau family. Owing to the body of Mrs. Nolan being so badly charred it was impossible to state the cause of death. There was no doubt that the rifle found in the ruins was the one used. The father of Mrs. Nolan, J. J. Hore, expressed the relatives’ appreciation of the thoroughness of the police investigat ion.