DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19899, 30 May 1936, Page 6

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY

FAMILY WIPED OUT. l "—— SHOT AND BURNED. .. Wirs's NERx'oL‘s coXDITION(By Telegraph—Press summon o.\)i.\nl‘. Saturdath The Inquest into the .\laerewhenul tragedy on February ‘l6 when .\rthur Douglas Nolan, Thelma Mabel .\ulanLindon Patrick Nolan and Anthony Francis Nolan were found incinerated in a burned house. was held $95191“ day at Oamarn. Dr. R. S. Fitzgerald descriDEd the positions or the bodies when found. In the front bedroom were the charred remains of a man‘s body on 5 wire mattress and of a female adult on the ground. In the other room were the remains of the two children. In witness‘s opinion the man's death was caused by an injury to the heart consistent with a bullet wound. A post—mortem examination or the bodies of the children indicated wounds consistent with bullet wounds. The woman's body was too badly incinerated to indicate the cause of death. Charles Douglas Adams, a farmer. gave evidence of noticing a tire, but. he arrived too late to enter the house. Nolan was an agreeable man and got on well with his wife. . Several witnesses testified to the good relations between the couple. I "Not Prsmsditstsd." James Joseph Hore. father of Mrs Nolan, said his daughter had not been too well. it she were responsible for the tragedy her brain must have snapped during the night. He was sure it was not premeditated. William Brash Hutchison said Nolan was a Very decent type of man. and a cheery worker. George noland Hore said his sister appeared to be worrying about the baby's health when he saw her six weeks before the tragedy. Elizabeth Alison liore said Mrs Nolan had been run down in health and William Arthur James Hore said his sister sutrered i’rom nerves and he thought this got the better or her and that she destroyed her husband. children and self“ It so, witness was sure her action was unpremeditatod. Other witnesses said Mrs Nolan had not been well and had worried about the children‘s health. - Detective Ernest Thomas gave evidence of investigations which tailed to reveal the cause or death. The Nolans were very popular and hod not a single enemy. Sergeant MoGregor said when the bodies were found the barrel of I. repeating title was found near the woman‘s body. There was no moo yol’ strangers in the district at the tins of the tragedy. 'l'llo Connor’s Verdict. Returning a. verdict that the deaths of Nolan and the children were due to rifle bullet wounds the Coroner. Mr W. Frith. said thorough and conscientious investigations were made by the police. He was convinced no outside person was connected with the aflair. The bodies were so badly incinerated that identification was very uncertain but he had no doubt they were the remains of Mr and Mrs Nolan and their two children. Owing to the fact that the body or Mrs Nolan was so badly charred it was impossible to state the cause of death. There was no doubt a rifle had been found in the ruins. The father of the deceased woman. .\lr J. J. "are, expressed the relatives‘ appreciation of the thoroughness at the police investigation.