HUSBAND'S TERRIBLE DEED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1976, 5 February 1914, Page 6

HUSBAND'S TERRIBLE DEED.

TPATniICV TITO rAUCI? \ DOUBLE PATEA TRAGEDY, (By'Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) ■■' February 4. A tragedy occurred at Patea, at halfpast .four, this morning, 'when Thomas Hewitt, aged thirtjrfivc.ja shot his wife, aged twenty-six, in ( her sleep, and then shot himself. S.'Johnson, from whom tho Hewitts rented rooms, was aroused by shots/and informed the police, who on investigation ''found tho woman dead with a ■wound- in the temple... Tho. man was lying' on the floor, shot ■ through tho headi ■•Ho was just-conscious enough to toll the police he had.shot .liisiwife and himself, and then became- comatose. 'Ho was removed to the Hospital, "where he soon began to sink.. Hβ died at 1.60 this afternoon. ; ,■ .

Twoi children, a boy, aged nine, and ]&. girl'aged six years,, wero in the room when the snooting .took place, but were too "terrified, to" move or cry • out. The Ilioy told Constable:' Armour he was )i wakened by a''shot, and then saw his Father stand back, from tho bed and Sehoot'himself twice in tho.fiead; ' ■ ■•

j OriCß;,C|iampion'Navy'Boxer/ • Hewitt was an ex-American Navy man ,of fine'physique, being over 6 feet'in ( yieight, and his records in. his possession'sntfwed him to havo once been the 'champion heavy-weight boxer of the lAmencaiTNavy. He Mad beeii in New 'Zealiind,for,,'some timd,' and,his wife 'came from, America to, join him about Iwo months • ngb.. They-had lived in £atea foi; about five, weeks, during which (time Hewitt had been in good , employat his .trade. ,It is stated that itho c'rihie is attributable to the husiband's jealousy for, although there had been no occasion for '-'tins, during their Vesidence'in.Patea-j'.there had been trouble between them prior to going there; ind Hewitt had been very moody since. .; •; ' \.:.\.v.V", .'" .<■ The Wire's. Revolver. The revolver with- which tho • double *rime was committed ' was a/ small 22 J calibre ' weapon- belonging to the wife. .'.She- had told an acquaintance a* few , days ago.that she always carried one tin America because she had to, for her pwn protection,' binding that, in this country, there was no need to do so,, tehe wished to lay it aside,'but her hus-band-made her continue carrying it,