Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Monday 22 January 1945, page 1


FOUR MURDERED IN QUEENSLAND

Suicide After Bodies Cremated BRISBANE January 21

A family of four and a member of the Australian Military Forces were wiped out at Woleebee. 50 miles north-west of Miles Western

Queensland. The a.shes o! the burned bodies ol Mrs. Beatrice Cork, a middle-aged woman; her daughter, Meryl Hazel. 16; her son. Lan Bruce. 19: and a soldier were found by Constable Dietz. or Wandoan police, in a wash tub in front of the kitchen range of the homestead belonging to Arthur Bruce Cork. 50. Cork's body was found lying on a home-made cremation oven in the stockyard Investigations showed that Cork had shot the family and the soldier in the house, and carried (heir bodies in a wheelbarrow to the cremation oven. This consisted ol three sheets of corrugated iron laid over a large open wood Ore. Aftei the bodies bad been cremated Cork collected the ashes and moved them to the kitchen. Bloodstains were found in the front bedroom and on a verandah Bloodstains were also found od the front mudguards of Cork's car. and in the garage An examination of the property revealed four dean cows and two dead horses in a paddock near the house. A freshly-sawn off _22 rifle was found neai Cork's body The tragedy occurred oetneen I p.m on Pririav and midnight veslerday Cork was a gTazipi in comfortable circumstances Hp was a rotumrd soldier ol thr first World Wai No mntivp is known for the crime