FRIGHTFUL MURDER AND SUICIDE IN MELBOURNE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1354, 29 September 1886, Page 2

FRIGHTFUL MURDER AND SUICIDE IN MELBOURNE

Amidst the hum of business and stir of traffic in Elizabeth street, Melbourne, on the 20th instant, an old lady ran out into the street in an ecstacj of terror, calllag upon everybody to save her dan ’hto* t who was being killed. Going with her into the hons>, some of the passers by discovered on the landing of the stain A woman, from whose throat bloo 1 waa flowing, and who has since died, and a little higher np the body of a man, with his throat all but severed, and who speedily expired. The old lady before referred to (Mrs Lad wig), who is the mother of tb» deceased woman, gives the folio wing par* ticulars of the tragedy. She says she was sitting with her daughter in the parlor. Her daughter was reading aloud Min Braddon’s story, entitled “ The One thing Neelful,” the conclusion of which had appeared in that day’s Age. Her husband looked in several timss, and was very friendly, proposin' that they should go to the Theatre. The last time he came in his wife asked what o’clock it was, and he took his watch from his pocket with the left hand, keeping the other under an apron he always wore in the oyster shop. Mrs Williams happened to look up again just then, and observing; that be had something under his apron, she asked, in a pleasant, caressing way,. “ What have you got there, Billy Y' aa* though she thought he had a surprise for* her. There was no reply. He made arapid movement towards her, and hiswffj went towards him, and looked at hlne in a questioning and alarmed manner. Then Instantly he drew forth a kails and struck her on the neck, saying, “ That’s what it is, fake it." Jumping from her scat, with the blood pouring from the wound and saturating her clothing and the carpet, aha attempted to go down stairs, bnt had only descended a few stairs, when she fell to the passage below, dead. Her mother was almost paralyse! with fear, but she rose and followed her d snghter. Williams mads no attempt to follow, and, glancing back as she flsd, she saw him aittingon a chair catting hia own throat. The blood from the wound be inflicted on himself sported oat on the door and wall, and, dropping from hia chair, he fell on bis right side on the floor dead. William Williams was a young man of abont 26, and was a native of Kspunda (South Australia), where hia ' relatives used to carry on large marble works. His connections appear to have been very respectable. He was married to Miss Ludwig abont eleven months ago and the couple wore very much attached to each other but Williams was a mao whose temper wts eas ly ex it id and who bad lately taken to dciuk very much.