KAIMATA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1137, 23 August 1913, Page 4

KAIMATA TRAGEDY.

THE INQUEST

SURVIVORS’ STORY,

Inglewood, August 21

An iuquest on the remains of the victims of the recent Kaimata tragedy was commenced this morning, before Mr W. Kenrick, S.M., Coroner. The first wituess, E. Taylor, a carpenter, gave evidence regarding alterations to the house after it had been purchased from Virgin. Sergeant Haddrell said he visited the scene in company with other police, and he described the positions of the remains of the victims, which Dr Nutting pronounced to be those of two males and a female. Virgin slept in the house the same night, and is still missing. Although search and inquiry bad been made, they had failed to find any trace of him. The inquest is proceeding. DOROTHY JULIAN’S EVIDENCE. Dorothy Julian, the girl who escaped from the building, gave evidence. She and her sister slept together in a room opposite to that in which Virgin was. The window of their bedroom had no blind, and she thought that the door striking the bed had awakened her and her sister. Gladys said, "what do you want, Dad ?” and Virgin started hitting her head with what appeared to be a piece of firewood. Both called out for their father. She thought that six blows were struck. She crawled under the bed-clothes. Virgin then went out of the room and down the passage towards the kitchen. She then tried to awaken her sister, but got no answer. Her face was covered with blood. She heard her sister making a gurgling sound, and then heard Virgin coming back towards the room again. She crawled under the clothes once more, and remained still. Virgin only came to the door, and did not further molest them. When he had gone again she endeavoured to awake her sister, but without avail. She then picked up her skirt and blouse, and went out of the house. She could see a reflection of light on the verandah, apparently from the dining-room. She knew Virgin, had seen him at Warea and Kaimata, and was quite certain as to identification. There was quite sufficient light in the bedroom to see who it was. After leaving the house she went to Mr Death’s residence, and there she found that her brother had arrived before her. Before she left the house she could smell kerosene, and saw the reflection of fire. The blows received hurt very much. To Mr Thomson, who was watching the case for the Virgin family : She saw a man standing in the doorway of the bedroom, and could say positively that it was Virgin. The last time she saw him, before the tragedy, was when she said "Goodnight." He was then in the kitchen reading. When she saw Virgin standing in the bedroom his hair appeared to be ruffled and his eyes glaring, and he seemed excited. After he left the room she heard her brother screaming. When she left the house no attempt was made to follow her, and she did not see anything further. To the coroner : Virgin appeared fully dressed when became to the door, but bad no hat on.

Dr. Nutting gave evidence. The boy had an abrasion over the right eye and brow. He found that the girl was bruised all down the back and left arm. The injuries had been indicted by some blunt implement. NEIGHBOUR WHO WAS AROUSED.

Samuel Death, farmer, of Kaimata, stated that he lived just opposite the scene of the tragedy. The houses were about twelve chains apart. He was awakened by Vernon Julian about a quarter past three. The boy called out : “Virgin is murdering father !” A girl followed five minutes after. He could see that something was wrong as both were very excited. When he opened the door to the boy he did not notice that the house was on fire, but he did when he opened it lor the girl. He left his wife in charge of the two children and went to give the alarm to the factory hands. He saw'then that the house was well on fire. He went on to Mackies’ store and also to the telephone exchange and telephoned for a doctor and the police. He then went to the scene ol the fire, but saw that the house was too far gone to save anything. R. J. Benett gave evidence as to finding a hat, coat, and waistcoat on the Manganui Bridge between 7.30 and 8 on Thursday morning. He gave these to Mr Mackie. Rain had fallen since. The following verdict was re-

turned by the coroner : "I find on the evidence before me : (i) That Edward Julian, Gladys Eva Julian and Frank Smith were murdered at 3 a.m. on August 14th, 1913; (2) That the evidence is not sufficient to prove conclusively whether they all died from blows on the body administered by some heavy blunt instrument, or whether they were rendered unconscious thereby, and subsequently burnt to death in the house of Frederick John Virgin ; (3) I find that Frederick John Virgin administered the blows on the three above-named persons, and the evidence strongly indicates that Virgin wilfully set fire to the house immediately afterwards, whereby all three bodies were burnt; (4) The evidence tends to show that Virgin had suddenly lost his reason through worry and want of sleep. It is proved that all parties were on friendly terras up till the time of retiring to rest on the night of August 13."