WHAREPOA TRAGEDY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 32418, 14 April 1944, Page 4

WHAREPOA TRAGEDY

SHAREMILKER’S DEATH INQUEST OPENED AT THAMES An inquest into the death of Mr George Crawford McLeod, aged 38, single, sharemilker, of Wharepoa, who died on Friday evening, was opened at Thames on Sunday before the coroner, Mr W. Bongard. Evidence of identification and the evidence of two witnesses was given, after which, proceedings were adjourned l sine die to enable medical evidence to be heard. James Allison McLeod, brother of the dead man, said deceased had been in hospital 18 months ago for four months. On Friday he had been restless and left" the house about tea-time to go to the milking shed. He ate little at the meal and went to his room. After his death witness went with a doctor to the cowshed and found a jar of cow-drench, labelled poison, which had not been used sines last Spring* had been interfered with recently. Sybil Mary McLeod, wife of the previous witness, said shortly after 7p.m on Friday deceased had 'been vejry hysterical and suffered convulsions. He said “I have taken poison. That stuff in the cowshed,” when she went to his room. She gave him an emetic but he died in few minutes. He had been complaining about his health every day for the last five months. Sergeant W. N. Ferguson represented the police.