TRAGEDY IN AUCKLAND

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2435, 14 April 1915, Page 6

TRAGEDY IN AUCKLAND

MAN ATTACKS HIS WIFE WITH AN AXE

AND TBEN TAKES POISON (By Telegrajh—Press Association.) Auokland, April 13. About 1 o'clock this morning, a carter named J. J. Sayers, residing in Bath Street, Parnell, attacked bis wife and child with an axe 4 inflicting serious injuries on the former, and then committed suicide by taking poison. Sayers, his wife, ana a. girl eight years of age slept in the same room. Sayers appears to have got the axe from the yard and made a ferocious attack on his wife, who was in bed, inflicting fearful wounds on her head and shoulders. Either before or after, Sayers evidently attacked his daughter. She has a large bruise on the head. The man filially drank some strong corrosive poison and lay down on the bed beside his unoonscious wife. The police, summoned by neighbours, found Sayers just dying. Mrs. Sayers was unconscious and bleeding terribly, but probably her injuries will not be fatal. So far there is nothing to suggest a. motive for the c<ftne. Later. Sayers went to work yesterday morning, and returned home during the day, stating that he had _ been kicked by a horse. He showed signs of having had some drink. A couple of bottles of beer and half an empty bottle were found in the bedroom. A married daughter, who lived in the same house, states that Sayers, whenever he had been drinking, threatened to murder the 'family. On one occasion he attacked his wife with a file. The inmates of the house last night were awakened by heavy thuds. The married daughter, on entering the bedroom occupied by Sayers and his wife and child, found Sayers, scantily attired, lying on the bed unconscious, and his wife with her head terribly injured. The little girl had evidently received one blow on the head from the blunt part of the axe,,and is not very seriously injured.