MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 420, 1 February 1909, Page 7

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

A SAD TRAGEDY IN THE COUNTRY. (EI TELEOEAI'U— SflCIAi COKUESrONnENT.I

■ ■ i.r ; '.' ' Pahiatua, January 30; •' _-A distressing tragedy is reported-'from Rakaunui. ; Harry Thomas; a well-knowriisot--' tier in the district, after returning'with his family to their noma in "Waiowaka on Friday, apparently ■ became- deranged, shot tk ,■sonwhile,, the latter was ligh.tine the: fire, ; and then :attempted to shoot /his wife .and .daughter.:.-./lliq,.first escaped into the bush, the latter to a neighbour's house: a mile away.. He .then-attempted suicide, half his face. away. The son, aged eighteen,was killed-instantaneously, his father dying early,this..morning. , : ..:■■ *'■-. ~: .(By IELEOEAFU—PBESS ASSCCIATIOS.) :- ,_ . v / Pahiatua,. January 30. " Particulars ,cf the tragedy at Waiowaka— where Henry Thomas, settler, ehot ,his son dead, and'committed suicide after attempting: : to shoot: his wife and daughter—show that yesterday .afternoon, young Thomas was in tho act of'lighting . a when his father placed the muzzle of a gun behind his ear and fired, kiilmg his son instantaneously. The father afterwards placed the muzzle of thegun in his mouth and blew his own, brains out. '. .. .. : ...■'. The father was in Pahiatua ; yesterday morning, and appeared then to be in his usual condition; but it is_stated that ho suffered from an injury to bis head,/received several years ago,_ and at' times became" uncontrollable. It is surmised that he wasiin. one of these fits at the time of the murder. ; / ! .-; An inquest-will be ; held to-morrow. /> :■ ■