THE PUTARURU TRAGEDY

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3883, 13 December 1928, Page 2

THE PUTARURU TRAGEDY

POISON FUMES CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. Hamilton, Last Night. The inquest on the brothers Stanley Owen Chapman and Bruce Trevor (Chapman, victims of .the tragedy on December 2, was held at Putaruru to-day. Dr. S. L. Haslett stated that the fumes from rabbit poison which Stanley had been .using might have had a depressing effect on the mind. * Eileen Chapman, sister, said about a year ago Stanley had a nervous breakdown. He went away for two mionths and recovered. His mental condition on the night of the tragedy was normal. Stanley had been burning a fumigant for rabbits and ceased because the fumes affected his head. Witness testified to being wakened at night and finding both brothers shot as already reported. . Thomas Chapman, the father, said Stanley suffered from insomnia and nervousness. He thought this and the fumes brought on sudden mental aberration. A verdict was ' returned that Stanley Chapman met his death by a bullet wound self-inflicted while in a state of acute mental depression caused by overwork intensified by the inhalation of the fumes of carbon bi-sulphide improperly used in poisoning rabbits; and that Bruce Chapman met his death by a gunshot wound apparently inflicted by Stanley whilst the latter was in a state of acute mental depression.