A GISBORNE TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1258, 13 October 1911, Page 6

A GISBORNE TRAGEDY.

MURDER AND SUICIDE, HUSBAND KILLS HIMSELF AXD ~ WIFE. 0 (By TolcEi'apli.—Press Association.) ,j Gisbornc, October 12. •r A shocking tragedy ocouried at Tolaga ;e Biiy (3G miles up the liast Coast) this ',]■ afternoon about linlf-yast a young man namwl William Keiit cutting his wiles throat with a. razor and MibstKiuoiilly t taking his own life by the fame means. i! lieid, who wa»- only nbuut 28 years of ago, >r was employed as a stableman at Tolaga ~ Bay lJotel,"and liis'iriio was alsoemployi", ed at the hotel us lauidress. 1' rom ( ho j details to hand so far it is appertained that Air. Kllioit, tho licensee of tiie hotel, was working in tho yard about 2.3U p.m., and was called by Jiis sister, who had !? been attracted by Mrs. Head coming 'I down the ktairs with a dreadful wound • iu hetr throat. Mr. KUiott hurried inside and found Mrs. lleid lying at tho toot ; of tlie atiira, bleeding to death. She had milled doivn from hor bedroom, and exZ pi red at the foot of the stairs in Mt. '? iilliott's prcsonce. Tho license© wont up--1 sfcaii's to tho servants' quarters, m the • r wing of tho building, where lie foniul tho husband lying on tho lloor of tho bed'r room with a terrible gash aeioss tho 11 tluoat. A bl:xxlstain«l razor was near u by, with which tl'.o doed os committed. 0 Jlr. BUifftt arrived in tho room just in j time to seo lteid expire. Dr. Weeks was d immediately summoned, and arrived '' witaiii ten minute.?, but pronounced life to be oxtinct in both caws. The. uH'air is " quite inexplicable, as although Ihe couple s had had minx' quarrels, nothing of a : t violent nature had so tar as i.s known t cpme between then-.. Both have iho res putatiou of being good workers, and those 0 who know Roid best say he was a quiet, r sober young follow, by no a man 1 likely to do murder. Mrs. Ueid's father and mother livo in Tolaga liay. 'J lie de- '. ceased couplo were married at I'.kelahuna about three years ago, and have one child about tu'o years old. About a fortnight ago, Ifc-ii, while following his occupation, wrenched his knee, and siu;» then has been more or less laid up, spending a good deal of his timo lying on his lied. This accounts for his jrrctaneo i;i _ his room at tliat time of tho day. Great 1 gloom was cast over tho township as the 9 result of the tragedy. An inquest will ' bo held to-morrow.