Unsolved 50 years ago today....Bogle/Chandler

[Marstermind]

Not only a "Who dunnit?" but a "How dunnit?" as well. One of the classic Australian mysteries. Check out this excellent interactive website for specific details.

http://www.rebeccayoung.org/boglechandler/movie.html

The ABC documentary "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?" provides a very plausible solution to the mystery which suggests it wasn't a crime at all, but they were victims of a freak natural occurance.

 

[childeric]

I saw the doco

Killed by hydrogen sulphide gas that's only present in the early morning on the river bank

How unlucky is that?

 

[Marstermind]

Not proven to be that, but the evidence is more convincing than an a KGB assassination or an overdose of LSD or a jealous husband. Even if the toxic river theory is true (and I think it's a good one), why would someone cover Chandler's obviously dead body with cardboard and Bogle's so neatly with his own clothing? Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

 

[Mr Reliable]

Fascinating case. Deserves a spot on this board for sure. I remember at the time the theories included spider bite, snake bite and secret poisons administered by a jealous husband/wife. The hydrogen sulphide theory is better than most and the scene being disturbed by a well meaning passer-by or the first cop on the scene sounds plausible.

There's a good write up in wikipedia for those of us (i.e. me) who are struggling to use the fancy website above. Sorry Marstermind - I'm barely computer literate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogle-Chandler_case

 

[childeric]

Not proven to be that, but the evidence is more convincing than an a KGB assassination or an overdose of LSD or a jealous husband. Even if the toxic river theory is true (and I think it's a good one), why would someone cover Chandler's obviously dead body with cardboard and Bogle's so neatly with his own clothing? Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

I wonder if cops covered the bodies?

Don't forget we are talking about an Australia that was still under 1950s illusion that married couples didn't cheat

 

[Marstermind]

I wonder if cops covered the bodies?

Don't forget we are talking about an Australia that was still under 1950s illusion that married couples didn't cheat

Pretty sure they were (officially) found by passing kids already neatly covered. And when I say neatly, it was bizarrely neat. Bogle's jacket and pants were laid over him exactly they way his legs and arms lay - to give the impression he was fully dressed, even though he clearly wasn't.

The husband - Geoffrey Chandler - always claimed his innocence but because of a rather 'bohemian' (by early 60s standrds anyway) character naturally drew suspicion. However, he had an extremely liberal attitude to fidelity - he missed most of the NYE party as he was off engaging in his own affair, as actively encouraged Margaret to endulge in her own with Dr Bogle. Hardly likely to be the murderously jealous type.

 

[MisterMarcus]

I read a theory that they'd overdosed on some strange Asian aphrodisiac drug?

Story goes that a couple in Japan or somewhere had been found dead in very similar circumstances, and were believed to have overdosed on this aphrodisiac.

Probably wouldn't have been hard for Bogle or Chandler to acquire said drugs given their apparently alternative lifestyle, and it would account for their being in the middle of undressing when they died.

 

[skilts]

Sorry Marstermind - I'm barely computer literate.

Which makes your nearly 14,000 posts on here quite an achievement.

Being the slackarse that I am, during 25 years of using computers, I've only ever learned what I found absolutely necessary. It is for this reason I had a son.

 

[Mr Reliable]

Which makes your nearly 14,000 posts on here quite an achievement.

Being the slackarse that I am, during 25 years of using computers, I've only ever learned what I found absolutely necessary. It is for this reason I had a son.

Posting and emailing are one thing. Navigating around that website in post #1 is a horse of a different colour. Get your son to have a go at it.

 

[skilts]

Posting and emailing are one thing. Navigating around that website in post #1 is a horse of a different colour. Get your son to have a go at it.

Oh dear, I see what you mean. It reminds me of an old TV show, Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width. They seem so enamored of their own genius that they forgot the website's purpose. I don't hate my son enough to inflict that upon him. Thanks for the warning though.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Not only a "Who dunnit?" but a "How dunnit?" as well. One of the classic Australian mysteries. Check out this excellent interactive website for specific details.

http://www.rebeccayoung.org/boglechandler/movie.html

The ABC documentary "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?" provides a very plausible solution to the mystery which suggests it wasn't a crime at all, but they were victims of a freak natural occurance.

The Bogle/Chandler case is the mother of them all!

I doubt there will ever be a conclusion to this one.

 

[childeric]

The hydrogen sulphide theory is no more plausible than the others in my opinion

 

[Dan Cooper]

The hydrogen sulphide theory is no more plausible than the others in my opinion

...and mine too.

 

[Dan Cooper]

The ABC documentary "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?" provides a very plausible solution to the mystery which suggests it wasn't a crime at all, but they were victims of a freak natural occurance.

^ The ABC documentary was made by Peter Butt who lived a 10 minute drive from where the bodies were found. Butt's father treated trees along the river for termite infestation using poison, and the shed at the rear of Butt's parent's property was full of the stuff. Amongst other research into the case, Butt spent 4 days with the by then 74 year old widower of Mrs Chandler, Geoffrey Chandler. Chandler was a prime suspect for much of the investigation.

Peter Butt has since released a book called "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?", which I have just begun reading.

In the book's Introduction Butt claims he put in an additional 4 more years of research between the documentary and the book.

I haven't seen the documentary as yet, but have read many articles on the case - as I'm sure many thousands of others have also. Funny thing is, as I read the book I realise how very little I actually knew about this case. If the information Butt has compiled has appeared elsewhere I must have missed it or forgotten it??

 

[Mr Reliable]

^ The ABC documentary was made by Peter Butt who lived a 10 minute drive from where the bodies were found. Butt's father treated trees along the river for termite infestation using poison, and the shed at the rear of Butt's parent's property was full of the stuff. Amongst other research into the case, Butt spent 4 days with the by then 74 year old widower of Mrs Chandler, Geoffrey Chandler. Chandler was a prime suspect for much of the investigation.

Peter Butt has since released a book called "Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler?", which I have just begun reading.

In the book's Introduction Butt claims he put in an additional 4 more years of research between the documentary and the book.

I haven't seen the documentary as yet, but have read many articles on the case - as I'm sure many thousands of others have also. Funny thing is, as I read the book I realise how very little I actually knew about this case. If the information Butt has compiled has appeared elsewhere I must have missed it or forgotten it??

Looks like a good read for the summer holidays. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Dan Cooper]

Stumbled on some interesting pictures relative to the case >

Police cars at track entrance:

The Fuller's Bridge area:

Sergeant Arthur 'Andy' Andrews, from Chatswood Police Station, took the call at 9:10am. He immediately left the station and drove himself to Fuller's Bridge, becoming the first police officer on the scene. He made the boys show him where they'd found the body, some 70 metres down the track from Millwood Avenue.

McCormick, Wheway and Mr Little had all assumed that the body was fully dressed, for it appeared at a casual glance to be so. On seeing the body for the second time, however, McCormick saw a piece of carpet sticking out from under the body's jacket. That prompted him to look closer, and he realised that the clothes that the body seemed to be dressed in were in fact on top of the body.

http://www.boglechandler.com/bcFBDiscoveryOfTheBodies.html

 

[Dan Cooper]

Have just completed the Peter Butt book and it is compelling reading!

If you have ever wondered about this case, and most of us have, you really NEED to read this book >

I got my copy from the local library. But if you are not so fortunate, whatever the cost, go get yourself a copy.

 

[Mr Reliable]

Have just completed the Peter Butt book and it is compelling reading!

If you have ever wondered about this case, and most of us have, you really NEED to read this book >

I got my copy from the local library. But if you are not so fortunate, whatever the cost, go get yourself a copy.

After reading the book, what's YOUR theory, Dan? Accident or foul play?

 

[Dan Cooper]

After reading the book, what's YOUR theory, Dan? Accident or foul play?

- SPOILER -


I think Butt's conclusion of poisoning from hydrogen sulphide gas from the river is very plausible, and in the absence of a single other explanation that stands up to scrutiny, very likely to be correct.

Butt also comes up with some stunning findings towards the end of the book regarding the lost handbag of Margaret Chandler the police never knew existed. Who found it. How the bodies had been covered etc...


...but I've leave some of those details for people who read the book to find for themselves.