THE PAPANUI TRAGEDY.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17277, 13 December 1927, Page 8

THE PAPANUI TRAGEDY.

INQUEST ON VICTIMS.

REASON FOR TERRIBLE DEED

LETTER TO DETECTIVE,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. At the inquest on William Alexander Foster, aged 38, a school teacher, and his wife, Olive Foster, aged 31, the coroner, Mr H. A. Young, returned a verdict of murder and suicide. John James Hall, a neighbour, said that Foster on Friday evening appeared gloomy. They had not discussed the charge that was levelled against him. He was of a highlystrung temperament.

Detective Sergt. Young said he- had been Investigating charges of indecent assault against Foster, but at the time of the tragedy had not decided whether to go on with them. In a letter to Detective-Sergt. Young Foster said: “I’ve saved you a bit of unsavoury work, old man. There will be no need of a warrant, and you knew I was guilty, but you had oniy a very small corner of the case. The more you dug the more you would have found, so cease fire. This job is over. Pigeon-hole the papers,, and thank God you did not have to see it through. Good luck. (Signed) J. A. Foster.”

In a letter to his mother Foster said he had promised Olive he would never go without taking her too.

Not Normal.

The Coroner said: “The male deceased, as a school teacher, had more than the ordinary responsibility with respect to the children and yet.he evidently indecently assaulted school hoys under his care. This shows that lie was’not normal. The act of killing his wife and then leaving five young children without parents shows, ton, that ho was not normal, so too does his suicide and the manner of it. On the other hand the letters written by him and the note left for the milkman show that he committed the acts after deliberation and with the realisation of their nature and consequences Had he been unsuccessful in his efforts towards suicide a jury on the evidence before me would not have been justified, in my opinion, in judging him not guilty of murder on the ground of insanity. One of the letters shows that it was his intention to kill the children, hut they were spared.