DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1932, Page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

MAN AND WIFE

SON CHARGED WITH MURDER.

(By Teleyraph—Per Press Association)

MASTERTON, 29

A lonely farmhouse near Mangamalioe, was the scene early yesterday morning of a double tragedy, the victims being John Corrigan, aged 64, a»d his wife Ellen Corrigan, aged 57. Their Son, John Corrigan,,aged 23, has been arrested and charged with murder. The tragedy occurred at about 2 a.in. when Corrigan and his wife were asleep in bed. The father was wounded above the right eve and death must have been instantaneous. There are indications that the mother, who was wounded in the right eye, sat up in bed to see what had happened before she was hit-.

After the tragedy, the son John, told one of his brothers that he .had shot his father and mother. He made no attempt to leave the house. His brother, Lewis, rushed to, the nearest neighbour, Mr John Hanson Birney, about a mile away, where a telephone call was put, through to the Eketahuna Police. Constable Ede and Dr. Simmers proceeded to the seehe, and upon their arrival, Corrigan and his wife were found dead.

It is reported that, after making a statement to his brother, that be had shot his father and mother, the sop refused to speak. Both barrels of a double barrelled shot gun, which was taken possessoin of by the police, had been discharged. The son had retired to bed on the previous evening in the usual way, and, apparently, was on good terms with his parents of whom he was very fond. Accused will be brought before Justices of the Peace at Eketahuna-to-day,' and will be renianded-tto "Wellington. An inquest will be opened in Master ton, for identification purposes, and adjourned sine die. Besides the father and mother and accused, there were two sons and two daughters at home, Lewis Joseph 1 ; aged 20, Patrick Francis, 13, Agnes 16, and Bernardine, 9. The victims had lived in the Eketahuna district elf and on for about forty years, and were highly respected. They had been on their present farm for the. last eight years.

ACCUSED MAN REMANDED

EKETAHUNA, March 29,

At the Police Court this morning before (Mr Simpson J.P., and Mr Greathead, J.P., John Cprrigen wa-s charged with the murder of his parents. Accused was remanded to appear at Wellington April sth.