PRICE INQUEST

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4495, 23 August 1930, Page 3

PRICE INQUEST

OPEN VERDICT RETURNED. The inquest into the death of the Palmerston North builder, Walter Edwin Price, who was found shot in his home on March sth last, was resumed at Palmerston North yesterday following an adjournment of four nionths due lo the illness of Mrs. Price, senior. Detective Quinlce said Mrs. Price was not fit to appear. She could only speak in a whisper, but was prepared to give evidence in a private room.

The -Coroner ’ (Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M.) said she had not been present at the time of the tragedy and her evidence could hardly carry the matter further.

Recalled, John Walter Barnard Price, son of deceased, said that some days after the adjournment on May Ist last he left, with his brother and mother on a ear trip to the norfh, leaving at 2 p.m.

To Senior Detective Quirke witness said he buried a cat at the back that day. He did not take anything out of the. ground. Witsess was directed not to leave the court at the conclusion of bis evidence.

Miss Dorothy Nagel, residing in the house next to Price’s, said that on May 9th last from the dining room of her home she saw John Price in his back yard. He was poking the ground with a stick. The ground had been dug and there was a border alongside the fence. She did not see a dead cat in his hand or on the ground. She left the room and a girl friend remained behind. The latter called to her, saying that she saw John Price take something from the ground. Witness saw John Price walk away. There was no one else in sight. On that day the Price family were making preparations for departure. Mr. McGregor, for -the Price family: You saw nothing in John Price’s hand. Witness: No. The Coroner: No spade? Witness: No.

Myrtle Ellen Smith, the former witness’s companion, said when she saw John Price in the back yard there was no sign of a spade or dead cat. She saw Price bend down and take something out of the ground. It looked, like a small tin or box.

This concluded the evidence,

The iCoroner said: I have given ample opportunities to the Price amily to clear up the matter, but it has reached a deadlock and we really never got any further than the first statement made by the late Valter Price’s son. There is no doubt About the cause of death. It was due to a gunshot wound and there is no evidence to suggest it was accidental. It seemed possibly a ease of suicide. A good deal of evidence has been given supporting that theory. If it is a ease of suicide, then certain evidence which should have been before the Court, lias been deliberately suppressed. There was only one person could do that, the one who found the body. The theory of murder has been suggested by John Price, although the balance of evidence is against that it was possible. I am not able definitely to come to the conclusion that the wound was selfinflicted although I can say it was apparently so. The verdict is that Walter Edwin Price died from a gunshot wound apparently self inflicetd. This really amounted to an open verdict.