FARM TRAGEDY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20065, 11 October 1939, Page 11

FARM TRAGEDY

DEATH OF BROTHERS i ' ONE SHOOTS OTHER TAKES OWN LIFE VERDICT AT INQUEST I (Per Press Association.) TIMARU, this clay. . An inquest on the deaths at Waimate of George Edison Beil and Harold Hume (Bell, single, brothers, who were found dead in a sleeping hut on the former’s farm at Elephant Hill on August 9, was held by the coroner, •dr. D’A. S. Grut,, yesterday. Subsequently an inquest was held on the death of Constable William Watt, who was fatally injured in a motor accident while investigating the Bell tragedy. Archibald Bell, a brother of the deceased, said that George had been on the farm since 1919 and Harold hud boon working with him for 14 years. At the war George received a wound on the top of the head, receiving treatment at a London hospital. The brothers were attached to each other and were quiet, sober men. On August 9 witness received a telephone call'from Constable Watt suggesting a visit to the brothers’ place. He met Constable Watt there. The door and the window of the sleeping hut were locked from the inside and the door had to be forced. George’s body was found on the lloor near the door. The legs were pulled up to some extent, and the head lay on the left side, resting on some sacks which were protruding from under the bed, which was under the window and was used by George. The body was fully dressed. There was a handkerchief around his neck and tied at the back, but not tightly, and it would have fitted up around the eyes. There was a .22 repeating rifle beside George’s body, with the muzzle level with the centre of the chest and the butt towards the feet. Harold Bell lay on his back with his arms outstretched. The body was fully dressed. A single shot .22 rifle was on the floor, With the butt near Harold’s feet and the muzzle pointing away. Both beds had been slept in. The place was tidy and there were no signs of a struggle. Visit Paid to Doctor Dr. R. Shackleton said that on August 3 George Bell came to see him, accompanied by his brother. George was in a very excitable state, but Harold was quiet. Both were concerned in a credulous way about their health. George Mated they had guns in the car outside in case they required to use them. Witness examined the bodies in the morgue. There were two wounds in George’s head, and either would have caused unconsciousness, making further action impossible. He considered the range had been six inches. A post-mortem examination was performed on August 10. Death had probably occurred five days before. There was no sign at the post-mortem of George’s war wound, but the tendency of all such wounds was to make people unstable, and on the night of his visit George was mentally unstable. Harold was prejudiced regarding George’s condition. Both brothers deluded themselves. The wound in Harold’s forehead showed the muzzle of the rifle had been placed close against the skin, the wound being blackened. Frank Albert Dugdale, farmer, Waikakahi, said that on the evening of July 31 George called. Witness was surprised to see him and asked if ’here had been an accident. George said there had not been. George’s manner was very strange. Troubles Related to Police Sergeant D. B. Murray said George and Harold called at the police station on August 4. George said he wanted to see the witness about his troubles. George related his troubles and witness said there was nothing in them. When the brothers left, both were satisfied there was nothing in their worries. George was excited and did most of the talking, but neither suggested taking their own lives. Detective-Sergeant Thomas described how he had taken over the case from Constable Watt, who was fatally injured in’a motor accident en route to the Bells’ place. Witness said it was impossible for any outsider to lock the Bell’s hut and to leave the key inside. The window also was. locked, and there was no chimney. The place was clean and tidy and there were no signs of a struggle. Witness related his, investigations round the hut and experiments with the same brand of ammunition as he found in the hut. When shooting ♦hrough paper, scorching was marked up to four inches. At five inches there was no trace. Without aid to the trigger of the rifle it would be impossible for a person to shoot himself in the forehead with the muzzle at a greater distance than three inches. Inquiries showed that both brothers were highly respected and there was no evidence of any differences with any persons. Opinions of Coroner The coroner’s verdict was that George’s death was caused by two bullets fired by Harold while mentally unstable, Harold’s wound being seifinflicted. The coroner said it was obvious that one of the two wounds in George’s head could not have been self-inflicted, while the scorching established the cause of Harold’s death. Hfe added his opinion that the tragedy started from George’s war wound, George having undoubtedly had an influence on Harold, bringing about the tragic result. At the inquest on Constable Watt, evidence was given by William Bell, Hook, that while en route to the brothers’ place on the night of the tragedy he found the bridge railing broken away at Elephant Hill Creek and a car in the creek bed. Constable Watt was lying partly out and Constable F. Black was holding on to a wire fence. Witness summoned assistance. The coroner’s verdict was that Constable Watt died in hospital from injuries resulting from misadventure while on du‘:y, and commended the fortitude of Constable Black in rendering first aid while he himself was seriously injured.