THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1922, Page 6

THE ELTHAM TRAGEDY.

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUESTS. THE CRIME RECONSTRUCTED. THE CORONER’S VERDICT. The last episode of the? shocking double tragedy which occurred at Fraser Road, Eltham, on January 6, was enacted at the Eltham Court yesterday, when the inquests concerning the death of William Percival Owen and of Gladys Owen were concluded before the coroner (Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M.). Charles Herbert Watson, who was employed by Owen, again gave evidence as to finding Mrs. Owen and the body of Owen. Dr. H. G. Cooper gave evidence as to the injuries suffered by Mrs. Owen. Mrs. Owen was quite conscious, and ■when witness asked if she felt any pain she said: “Oh my head.” Witness tnen asked what had happened, and Mrs. Owen said that she thought she had fallen out of bed. Witness sent her to the hospital. There were four large wounds penetrating the skull cap, and a fifth wound across the back of the neck which had completely severed the muscles at the back of the neck. Mrs. Owen never completely rallied after the operation, and died at about 6 p.m., the cause of death being shock and haemorrhage. After examining Mrs. Owen witness followed a trail of blood into another bedroom, where he found the bedclothes saturated with blood. There were blotches of blood on the walls and win-dow-sill. Mrs. Owen had apparently undressed ia the front bedrodzu, and during the night or in the early hours of the morning gone into the other bedroom. She was apparently awakened from her sleep by her husband coming into the room, and sat up in bed, and the four blows on the head were de-' livered in rapid succession. She had apparently fallen, and the fifth blow on the back of the neck was delivered. had probably fainted then and had later come round, and after standing a while in the doorway had continued her way into the hall, where she had fainted through loss of blood. Witness found a meat chopper on the pillow of the bed in the room in which the injuries were inflicted. Two of the blows had gone ’ right into the brain, and all the blows had been delivered with great forcfr.

THE HUSBAND’S SUICIDE. Witness also examined Owen, who was in another room, lying on the flo&r with a single-barrel breech loading gun lying across his legs. A cord was attached to the trigger and passing round his right foot the other end of the cord was gripped in his right hand. From the position of the body Owen bad apparently laid down on the floor, placed the muzzle of the gun to his mouth, and discharged the gun with his foot. The back of his head was completely blown away. He had apparently been dead about a couple of hours. There was no doubt that the wound was self-inflicted.

Thomas William Owen, father of William P. Owen, gave evidence that his son was suffering from nervous depression. If he had been in ordinary health he had nothing at all to worry about. He had been on active service in Palestine, being with the forces for over a year. He had been to see witness on the Sunday previous to the tragedy. On the Monday they had gone to a picnic and had left for their home on the Tuesday. In giving his verdict the coroner said that it seemed to be perfectly plain frcm the evidence that the deceased William Percival Owen, by some manner or means, was seized by a fit of mental derangement to such an extent that he killed his nearest and dearest. In connection with the death of Mrs. Owen, it was hopeful, at any rate, to believe that she was not aware as to the real cause of her injuries whiqh subsequently ended in her death. It seemed that she was awakened from her sleep by the assault made upon her by her husband, and one of the best features of the case, sad and all as they were, was that she did. not know that these, injuries were inflicted upon her by the man who had sworn to love, honor and cherish her. The formal verdict with regard to William Percival Owen was that he died at Fraser Road, Eltham, on January 6. having committed suicide whilst in'a state of mental derangement. His wife, Gladys Albert Taylor, died at the hospital at Eltham on January 6 from shock and haemorrhage, caused by wounds to her head received by her and inflicted by her husband whilst he was in a state of temporary mental derange-