Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 23 January 1945, page 3


FOUR DEAD IN FAMILY

May Have Begun With Car Fatality

BRISBANE, Mon: Although it was first believed that five persons died in the tragic murder-suicide case at Woleebee, it now appears that the number is four, all members of the Cork family. The unidentified sol-dier mentioned in early reports was Ian Bruce Cork, 19, soldier son of Arthur Bruce Cork, 50, grazier, whose wife, son (Ian), and daughter were

found cremated in a wash tub on the kitchen range of their home-stead. The father's body was found with a bullet wound in the head and partly burnt.

A letter found in Cork's mailbox, supposed to have been written by him, stated that his wife had been killed by the handle of their car while she was trying to crank it. This led to the theory that the ac-cident sent Cork berserk, causing him to shoot his son, Ian, and his 16-year-old daughter, Meryl.

Some of the detectives think it ex-tremely unlikely that anybody could have been killed while cranking a car. It is assumed that the killings occurred early on Friday afternoon. Cork was last seen on Saturday night driving a car. Mr A. J. Cork, brother of the dead man, said today: "Arthur had a lot of worry lately. The drought affected his farm greatly. His cattle were dying and his son had just been recalled to the Army. I believe his wife's death was the last straw."

The dead man was a returned sol-dier of the last war. He formerly lived at Clayfield, Brisbane. He was a surveyor, and later became land ranger at Roma. At the time of his death he was ranger for Woleebee

area.