ALLEGED MURDER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3107, 11 June 1917, Page 6

ALLEGED MURDER

MAORI ATTACKS HIS WIFE

WITH AN AXE

A GISBORNE TRAGEDY

By Telegraph—Press Association,

I , , , Gisborne, June 10) A tragedy occurred to-night i n j,' ox Street »i lt n a Aliiori u«m b | Abraham Iβ Whero murdered his wile, Charlotte by striking her ou the liead with an aie Iho murderer made his escape, and 6 o tar has not bean apprehended. The couple had to the neignbours' knowledge been quarrelling for some <lavs. ° Iho tragedy was witnessed by a little daughter, jlnriam, aged 11, who states that during a quarrel in the kitchen her father rusned outside and returned with an axe and struck her mother, who died on the way to tho hospital. , To Where at once departed, and when the neighbours arrived a few minutes later there was no sign of him. Tho police are conducting an' active search all'over the district. Tβ 'Where- was a labourer, about 45 years of age. Mrs. Tβ Whero had been previously married, and leaves two grown-up daughters by the first marriage and two daughters and two sons all under 11. by the second marriage. ' . FULLER PARTICULARS (Special Correspondent.) Gisborne, June lfl. A domestic tragedy occurred in Fox Street, Gisuorne, this evening, when a. man unnud Abraham Te Whero, aged 45 years, is alleged to have murdered his wife, Charlotte To Whero, also aged do, by striking her on the head with an axe. The woman died ou the way to the hospital an hour later. According to neighbours, quarrels between the husband and wife had been frequent. According to members of the household a particularly bitter quarrel culminated at's £.iu. in Te Whero throwing a kettle of boiling water across the room. The boiling water scalded one o£ the children, who was carried into a back bedroom by the mother. On her return from the bedroom the final act of the tragedy is stated to have been enacted. A statement made by one of the children, who states that she witnessed the tragedy, alleges that Te Whero, after abusing his wife, rushed out to the wood heap and returned with an axe, with which he struck Mrs. Te Whero a violent blow. Mrs. Tβ Whero collapsed, and her husband helped her on to a chair. The cries of the children attracted the neighbours, who sent for Dr. Scott, who ordered the removal of Mrs. Te Whero to the Hospital, but she died on the way to the institution. Before any of tho neighbours arrived on the scene To Whero had disappeared, and this police are still searching for him. Te Whero was a labourer and had been working; on the Tologo Bay bridge. He had only returned to town a few days ago. . ,