DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 549, 5 June 1933, Page 5

DOUBLE TRAGEDY

(Press Assn.-

murder and suiqide GRUESOME AFFAIR IN A WANGANUI HOTEL MAN AND WIFE DEAD

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

Wanganui, Sunday. Early on Saturda^r afternoon, 'a double tragedy occurred at the Metropolitan Hotel, Taupo Quay, resulting in the death of Joseph' Nathanial Gordon, aged 3-2 years of Patea, and his wife, Nell Gordon, aged 27 years. It is alleged that Gordon cut his wife's throat with a razor and then committed suieide by cutting his own throat. Mrs. Gordon arrived at Wanganui on Tuesday last and had been staying with friends. Her husband was for several years in the fell-mongery at Patea freezing works, but recently had been out of employment. He came to Wanganui the next day to persuade her to return to h'im, she having announeed her deeision to go to Australia. 'On Saturday, in consequence of a telegram, Mrs. Gordon went to the Wanganui railway sta.tion and met her husband and Stanley Thompson, who until recently, h'ad been seeretary of the relief workers depot in Patea, hut had resigned early ; last week. The three called at the Metropolitan Hotel nearhy, where th'ey went into the commercial room. Drinks for three were taken in and a moment or two later, Thompson stepped out to speak to the licensee. On his return he was confronted with the sight of Mrs. Gordon's body on the floor and stretched out close by was Gordon. Mrs. Gordon was dead, and Gordon died a few minutes after the doetor arrived.