ATTEMPTED MURDER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2309, 17 November 1914, Page 7

ATTEMPTED MURDER

TRAGEDY IN AUCKLAND,

(By Telflgrapn.-Prese \Aesboiatlon:i V_ Auckland, November 16. * A'; shooking tragedy occurred in Mount PJeasant Road, Mount Eden, on Saturday afternoon. Residents in the neighbourhood heard four shots ring out from a house, andt a few moments later saw Mrs. Elsie May. Gaudin run out of ,the dwelling, screaming for help, with blood flowing from her breast and left arm. The police entered the house by the back door, which' opened into the kitchen. Lying half,in the kitchen and half in the passage-way the police found the dead .body of Albon George Gaudin, husband of the wounded woman. Hβ was lying on his right side, his head was in a pool of blood, and in his right hand was clasped a new fivechambered revolver. The chambers had been all loaded, and four of the cartridges had been discharged. Gaudin had committed suicide by discharging the revolver into his mouth. There was a pool of blood near the kitchen'grate, a bullet was foiind on the floor, and a search resulted in the finding of a box of revolver.: cartridges in. deceased's' bedroom. Five of,the cartridges were missing. Beside the box of cartridges was a receipt for the purchase money, dated Saturday, November 14. The deceased was twenty-five years of age, and is believed to have no relatives in Auckland. He was in employ as a liftman. ' . , '■ : .

Mts. Gaudin was removed to the Hospital, where sheis making satisfactory progress. She said she was twentyjtbree years of age, and had been married only a few years. They had one child. At first they had lived happily together, but latterly' they had quarrelled over money and one certain question of principle. Discord reached the climax on Friday, November 13, when, picking up her* baby, she walked out of the house to return to her mother's home in Newton, vowing never to return to him. As she was going away her husband threatened her, but she did not take any notice of the threat and returned to her mother's place.

On Saturday morning at about 10 o'clook she decided to revisit her home to got some of the baby's clothing. When she reached the house she found it locked up, so she awaited her husband's return. After having dinner with a neighbour, Mrs. Gaudin saw her husband unlock and enter his house, and she wont across almost immediately. When she applied for admittanoe he said, "Come in." She went 1 in telling him the object of her visit and collected 'the clothing. Meanwhile, after she had made up the parcel of clothing, she went along the passage into .the kitchen where her hwabnnd- sprang from the back room and brandished a revolver. Before she could get away he fired, and the bullet went through the palm of her left hand. Holding up the injured : hand she had advanced but a step or two towards the kitchon door when he fired another shot, the bullet entering her left wrist, traversing the bone of the forearm,- and emerging from the left elbow. TJpon the discharge of the second shot she made a dash for the kitchen

door and endeavoured to open it. As she turned the door handle her husband fired the third ehot, which entered her left breast, a couple of inch's below the heart. In agony she succeeded in getting out of the house and screamed for help. At the inquest on Albon Georgo Graidin, Dr. Houghton described the in. juries. H© said that the woman complained to him that her husband was a frightfully mean man; that her marriage had been an unhappy one, and that she had to go out to work to keep her baby. ■ The inquest was adjourned.