INTERPROVINCIAL TELEGRAMS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 349, 21 November 1879, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL TELEGRAMS.

(FROM TIIE LYTTELTON TIJIES.)

Wellington , ,- Nov. 19

A horrible double, murder and suicide was committed this morning, A youug man named Clarence Miller killed his father, Edward Miller, 52 years of age, who was lying ill in bed, then cut his mother's throat with a carving knife, and finished his terrible work by cutting his own throat with the same, instrument. He had gone to the doctor's for medicine for his father, and it was after; his father had taken it that the deed' was committed. The perpetrator was nineteen years of age, and apprenticed at Mills'engineering foundry. No motive can be given for the crime. All the . parties are dead. The father was aclerk in the Treasury, and was much respected.. , Mrs Miller was sixty years of ,- ; age. Further particulars are as follows : Mr Miller had been ill during the night, and Clarence (who ; had been at , home s •;

fora'feSv dajs owing to a bafl finger)! weiSt to : I>r Francis this , morliini*- for :';■■<■■•■■'. ■■ , ■ i • ■ . ■ ■ , •' some medicine for Ins ■ fatherj , .■vrliich was given him., Mr Miller then lay down to sleep, and the son . ordered the servant to get about her work. At the-time no suspicion seems to-''have attached itself to his conduct in any waj. Miller then ! fired a blank ',charge at his father,, cut his throat and mutilated '.the body. On coming out of fche room he met his mother takings in -coals,.and. cut her , throat, and finally going outside in view of the servant, and cutting his own. The girl was horrified at the sight, and immediately sent for assistance, which was of no avail, life being extinct; The instrument used in perpetrating the deed was \ an ordinary, carving-knife. The perpetrator has on more than one occasion given signs of aberration of the intellect - A brother named Sydney, accountant in the Bank of New South Wales at Greymouth, committed suicide recently hy shooting himself, and it is believed another brother is-in the lunatic asylum at Sydney. The affair has cast quite *a gloom over the city, Mr and Mrs Miller being greatly respected. The police have charge of the bodies, and an inquest will be held to-morrow.