AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1930, Page 4

AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

INQUEST DISCLOSURES. NAVAL FUNERAL FOR \ DANAFORD. (By Telegraph—Press Association), AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. . * Regarding the suicide of evidence that’Danaford had ill-treated ▼ his wife was 5 given at the inquest this afternoon. '• ' ' Henry Bolton, engineer, said he had known the family for the 'past three years. Danaford’s wife went to live with the Bolton family and their parents last Wednesday morning.. Airs Dana ford said that she had left her Husband because lie had ill-treated hCIV ; . i Bolton said that his wife visited Dauaford’s house on January 15, and found Mrs Danaford lying on the floor unconscious, with blood issuing ‘from her mouth. Since that date Mrs Danaford had stayed with the. Boltons, together with her child. Bolton said he arrived home night about 11 p.m., and he found own wife and Mrs Danaford' dgitated, because the latter’s little son had been missing since the afternoon. He (Bolton) then went to Danaford’s house, knocked and at the door, and shouted: ‘‘George!’.' Getting 'rid reply, he went home. pA .little later he returned, accompanied; by liis mother and his wife, and again they got no reply to their . .knocking. They went home/aiid they again, .went to the house about midnight, This time they were accompanied-.by y MrB Danaford. Again, there was no reply to their knocks, so Bolton and Mrs Danaford went to the > Devonport police. 1 When shown , playing (cards and pieces of. paper with writing on them, Bolton said that he recognised the handwriting of deceased. 1 1 In answer to a question, ' Bolton said that Danaford was “sometimes not right in his head.” Some days he was alright aiid on others quite) funny. He and his wife had been sep-. arated once before. “He had never done the right thing by her ' all along.” • ■ ;'\

Constable Butler, of* Dbvonport; who with Sergeant O’Brien; went !to . the house 'of the tragedy at 12.'50'. a.m., “said that, as soon as they'reached’the bottom of the steps, he could smell ga& There ivere Wo lights Vin the place. The front door ivas barricaded;“When the door was forced, witness found Danaford in the kitchen with his head and shoulders in the gas stove. He was fully clothed, • except for his Coat. Danaford had been- dead about six houre. The gas jet of thee oven was turned full on. The little boy, Denis, was lying face downwards, about two feet from his father. The child’s body was slightly warm, and he had been dead, apparently about two hours. In the doer of the kitchen, Tags"and papers hack been. stuffed to' prevent the gas from, escaping.“Judging by one of the. letters left,” said Constable “Biitler, “there was .no suggestion tbat vhe wasto kill the little, boy. I found Viia note last night, .but- when I went back this morning,. I,:found'iwo; more letters, which showed he intended, to kill the ,boy.” . • 1 .

Mr Singer said that, since, January 17, he hqd been acting for Mrs Dahaford. Da'naford, was an erratic man. He had been threatening his wife yith an axe. -Hi >:>'l •; In a letterv. which Mr Singer bad from Danaford’s solicitor, the deceased ljad said tbatj.there was -no blame attached to his wife, and he had nothing against her character. - A verdict of suicide by gas poisoning was returned in the ease of the father, George Daniel Danaford. Death by gas poisoning Was the diet in the case of the child. The Coroner. Mr Hunt, added tha^' the father committed suicide by thaV means, and kept the child iii the room while so doiiig. The letters left by the father showed his intention that the child should die. A A naval funeral has .been arranged for to-morrow afternoon for Danaford. , ■ -A.::-A