THE ROTOMA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2880, 7 May 1925, Page 2

THE ROTOMA TRAGEDY.

INQUEST AND BURIAL SERVICE. Rotorua. Yesterday. The bodies of the victims of the tragedy at Lake Roloma were brought into Rotorua last night by Constables McLean and Brady, and taken to the morgue.

Further details of the affair indicate a warrant had been telegraphed to Hastings lo- the police for the arrest of Olsen, on a charge of the abduction of the girl, Molly Moors from her aunt's house in Hastings. The man Olsen was seen talking to the girl on the Franktoii station prior to the departure of the south-bound express last Sunday week.

During the week he secured a new three-sealer Dodge car from Biackmoro's garage at Hamilton, and it i- understood lie proceeded to Hastings. Ilis movements afterwards have not yet been traced, hut on Snda.y last, he stayed overnight ;.l the Tetcke Hotel. The girl was then with him. and they hooked separate rooms under the name of Mr ami Miss Clark. On Monday morning. they left early in high spirits, talking about the beauties of the scenery they had passed. The next positive information was that they were seen and assisted by Mr Rdf. a soldier settler on the Alalia wahe block, who was doing work for the Public Works Department on the lakeside deviation. The man was then attempting to drive round the beach on the north of the lake where the sand is soft. The ear eventually got bogged, and Rdf returned to lii.s work. A few minutes afterwards lie heard a faint cry and a. gunshot, followed a few minutes later by a second shot. He went to lhe hake and found both occupants dead, side by side, their t'e<-t under the running hoard of the car.

When the police arrived, a (dose iixcsiigalion was made of the bodi•s ami the scene. The weapon was

a single-barrelled shotgun, sawn off a! the stock behind the triggerguard and at the fore end. This had been done recentlv. apparently to make the gun go into the rear tool box of the car. A box of new cartridges was found, one discharged shell doming in the lake, and one stiil in tlic gun. In the car was an unopened tin of benzine and a coil of fuse. Both bodies were fully .idollied, with overcoats on.

A pidire ii ml medical examination was niiidurled this morning. The girl had been shot at close range over the heart, the charge going downward into the vital organs of the body, there heii no external oiilii-e. Death must have ln-en absolutely instantaneous,, the charge having no space to spread. The man's licitd was completely shattered, the muzzle of the gun having been placed in his mouth. The disinrge had been upwards, the whole skull being burst to fragments. Tlie ear was brought in lbs morning liv Mr P. Spedding. It was deeply inbeded in the sand hy I tie lake edge, having slink to tlie running' hoard. The ear came in under its own power. The police are now in charge of it.. An examination of the elm showed it was a single-barrel, Hi inches over all, Ml inches of the barrel having recently been unslocked and sawn off. An inquest is proceeding.

Rotorua, East Fight

An inquest on the Rotomu viclims was opened before Air L. \Y. Kirhnnls, 3.P., and a jury of four. Alter the hearing of the evidence of Alfred .'Sydney Moors, the father of the girl, the hearing was adjourned sine die. Tlie father's evidence was to the effect that Olsen and his daughter were on a friendly footing. No theory was advanced to account for the. tragedy. The burial of the victims took place this afternoon in adjacent graves, Archdeacon Ghatterton of-

lieiating. The father was the chief mourner, and the acting Coroner, .jury and sympathisers followed to the grave. The scene was deeply impressive.