Obituaries Australia

DEATH PACT INQUEST
Youth and Woman Found In Car

MELBOURNE, Friday. The City Coroner (Mr. Tingate, P.M.) today found that Graham Henry Duckett, 18, of Towers Road, Toorak, and Madam Phyllis Klatchko, 42, of Kooyong Road, Toorak, who were found dead in each others’ arms in a car at Mt. Dandenong on September 24, died from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning wilfully administered by themselves.

Henry Cyril Augustus Steele, managing director, of Kooyong Road, Toorak, who identified the bodies, said that Madam Klatchko resided at his home. She was last seen alive by him on September 23, and was missed from home about 4 a.m. on September 24. When inquiries at police stations and hospitals failed to reveal any trace of Madam Klatchko, witness asked Mr. Lewin to go to Mr. Duckett's home at Mt. Dandenong to see if they were there.

Austin Ellerkcr Lewin, warehouse assistant, of Punt Road, South Yarra, told the court how he visited Mr. Duckett’s mountain home about 4.30 p.m. on September 24, and saw the bodies through the windows of the car, which was in the garage. He immediately drove back to town and informed Mr. Steele.

FATHER’S STORY
Vemon Lynden Duckett, warehouseman, of Towers Road, Toorak, said that about 7.30 p.m. on September 22 was the last time he had seen his son alive. Witness had asked deceased to come to the pictures with his parents, but he had refused. Mr Duckett said that he did not see his son when he came home and when he returned from work on the following day he was informed that the boy was absent.

Deceased was quite a happy and contented boy, but he had got very quiet during the last two months and witness though there was something the matter with him. Constable T. R. Mason, of Croydon, told the court that about 7 p.m. on September 24, he visited the home in company with Messrs. Steele and Duckett. The door of the garage was partly opened, and a car with all the windows closed was facing outwards. The bodies of Duckett and Madam Klatchko were huddled in the back seat. Duckett’s arms were round Madam Klatchko and one of her arms was around him. A length of hose was pushed into the exhaust pipe of the car, and led into it near the front seat. A note was found in the car.

Dr. Wright-Smith, who made a post-mortem examination of the bodies, said that the blood of the victims yielded positive tests for carbon monoxide. Death was due to that cause.