FOUND SHOT.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17366, 30 March 1928, Page 6

FOUND SHOT.

LOCAL BAKER'S DEATH. TRAGEDY AT TAMAHERE. SEEMED IN GOOD SPIRITS. A tragedy was revealed when the body of Hector Colo, breadsalesman, was discovered In a gully near Tamahere this morning. A car driver passing along the Tamahere Road last evening noticed a baker's van standing by the hedge on the left side facing towards Cambridge As the van was still in the same position when he passed the spot this morning, he became suspicious that, all was not well, and informed the police. , .. Two officers went out and discovered that the van belonged to a man named Hector Cole, aged about 35. a. resident of Naylor Street, Hamilton East, whose occupation was that or bread salesman. Cole was married, with one child, and he was last seen by his wife about two o'clock yesterday afternoon, when he intimated that he was going into town to get the new number plates for bis van. ... He took a pea rifle with him, with which his wife understood he was going to shoot rabbits, Thursday being the afternoon which ho usually made his half-holiday. He then seemed in his usual good spirits. Mr P. Byan, of Hamilton East, spoke with Cole about ten o'clock yesterday morning, when he was quite cheerful, and intimited that he was getting on quite well. Bought House Recently. About a month ago Cole bought his present house in Naylor Street, and his present/bread round. Previously he had been a rabbit trapper in the Tamahere district. The van was pulled up at the entrance to a tortuous scrub-covered gully, which runs back across country for "several miles. The police party searched the surrounding paddocks for several hours without avail. Mr Jack Bollard, through whose property the gully winds, finally came upon Cole's dead body lying in an open space at the foot of the gully. The body was fully clothed. On the. ground, to the left, was an uncorked empty bottle which had apparently contained a white fluid. To his right, with the muzzle pointing upwards and close to deceased's hand, was the pea rifle. An examination of the body disclosed a bullet puncture immediaiely over the heart, with the impress of the muzzle of the rifle clearly defined on deceased's waistcoat. The body was later conveyed into Hamilton, where it now lies at the hospital mortuary awaiting an inquest.