THE KAKAHI TRAGEDY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 81, 8 July 1916, Page 3

THE KAKAHI TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. Pbb F&ESB ASSOCIATION. Taumarunui, July 7. An inquest was held to-day at Ka- : kahi concerning t)ie death of David t Jeffrey, the father, and Gordon, his 1 infant son, in connection with the - tragedy before Mr A. S. Laird, coroi ner. i'\ Hannah Oldham, tho nearest neighi bor, staled that deceased's wife strugl gled to her fence, calling out 10 wit- - neas. Seeing the woman's condition , she said: "Oh, dear, what's the mat- - ter?" Mrs Jeffrey replied: "l)a\e - -did it, and shot all my kids." Jef- '. frey: objected to his wife- going to j dances, and they disagreed over her r dancing with a man named James .'"'GlaVke, but she said 1 there v. as no harm in it. Jeffrey was a man of 5 good character, but.of quick temper. , The only reason for the deed could . be that his wife's name was- mixad up . with that of Clarke, • anil this was , common talk in the town. George Oldham deposed that Mrs Jeffrey was fully dressed and had her head bandaged when she called for help. The intimacy , with Clarke was common talk. Jeffrey, who uad lived

,!at Kakahi for five years, was j;ii honest and sober man, and was ion J of his children. Deceased approached witness for the truth concerning Clarke, but witness told him nothing.' i While being carried', on a stretcher to the train. Mrs Jeffrey said 'lsn't it dreadful? Dave's'dead." ' ] William Geaney, a railway ganger', said that Jeffrey was a pleasant aim gopd workman. He fold .vit-iess /about his wife and Clarke, and asked 'if he knew anything. Constable John Maher detailed the statement made by Mrs Jeffrey since the tragedy. • The family retired at 10 p.m. She was- awakened' in the night by feeling ill, and was bleeding from the head. She called her husband, but received no response. She i woke again at daylight, and saw fully the extent of the tragedy. She dressed and called the Oldhams. Her husband objected to her dancing with •Clarke because, he had heard from I ■ ':i • ' _'. ■Jiil'i.'j '

sqmeonq an alleged serious offence; (against ..him! iThey had quarrelled a! good deal since the military i ball, because she danced with Clarke after the committee had requested him to -leave,., the ~ building. The committee had met and asked Clarke 1 to leave because of an alleged offence 'against him. Clarke refused .to ,leaye the building, ami asked Mrs Jeffrey |to dance, but she refused, but, as he flnsted, she did not want to offend %i, she consented. This was ihe fast dance and caused scandalous talk, which her husband heard. The inquest was adjourned sine die ; to hear the wifo's evidence when she is able to give it. I The victims in are still unconscious, except the wife. No further deaths diavo occurred. I I a"—*—""""'l"" "" """ 555