LONDON SHOOTING TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 97, 18 January 1919, Page 7

LONDON SHOOTING TRAGEDY

DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE

RUTHERFORD AT THE POLICE • "■;-■-■■.. court

■By' Teligrapi-Preen' AMociation-CopyrieM

-~:■■ •'.,-' :■:':.-. London, January 14., ■The newspapers;-feature the Seton sensation. ; It is .understood that the deceased was upstairs with. his host (Sir Malcolm Seton) and hostess wliwi Lieutenant-Colonel called. The accused inquired of the parlourmaid' if 'Major Seton was there, and the parlourmaid'showed' him into the dining-roo'rn, .where' the • deeeased joined : him: They "talked together for iib'out ten:minutes, when a' revolver shot was"heard;' : ' ' ' . ''A neighbour, Miss Halse, heard four heavy 'thumps, rushed into; the street, and .'found Sir- Malcolm very agitated outside his door. He said there'had been an awful tragedy inside, and'asked her to enter and comfort Lady Seton ; but' the latter was .'quite- collected . Rutherford' did , " not attempt to escape; '■'■.•-. '■' . ' ■' •It is , reported that Sir Malcolm Seton told a friend'• that the affair' wasas much a mysteYyto him as to' anybody. > When Rutherfordcalledi-Sir -Malcolm suggested that 'he should' be invited upstairs to ''the-smoking-room, -but. the deceased said he would go down to see ■him'. •"■' Hβ seenied unconcerned aiid-tm-aßitated; and might have"been going to greet v 'bld 'friends. ■ After the : shots were fired, Sir Malcolm rushed downstairs.; .■Rutherford offered iioexplan-, ation,- and appeared coo] and collected. He -expressed ■ concern at the. distress he had-caused his host and hostess.— 'Ausi-N.Z.. Cable. Assn.v ... ~..,. ~ ''"• ■.;•••. ' y London, January 15.' : 1 -Lieutenant-Colonel Rutherford was awarded the D.S.O. for' gallantry- in prance. Ho came home on leave, three weeks ; ago. ''■ Major Seton was'-a-' man of bifi build and strong- physique,, and a well-known big game hunter. He came tirEngland in August,'l9l6, -rtiid-'had' been working as a medical of-, ficcr in the Australian camps, and latterly lie "was attached to the Harefield, 'Hospital. ■ Hes will be' buried ■in the Australian- -niilitar.v burial ground • at Brookwood;on Saturday. Major Seton ; was:unmarried... He is stated to have .beeri oh'friendly, terms with the Rutherford family. . , , . ~.\ '

.Rutherford, who is tall and darlc, appeared in.a dazed condition in the West London Police Court this after-. .noon. Savage stated that, 'he visited'the .house at 12.3.0 p.m., and sawSeton's body, which.had;three bullet wounds. ' Later he saw the accused at the police station. Rutherford said' howould like to seiida message to his wife, to tell her what had happened before she read it in the papers, and wrote'the message. He did not reply when formally charged. Inspector Savage.said he did not intend af present to put''in tlio message which accused sent'.to'his wife. Accused , was remanded till January 22.—Aua.-N.Z. Cable Assn. . ■ ■ ■ '■■■•■

VICTIM A PR CMINENT' MEL- ■ BOURNE DOCTOR.. , , " Melbourne, January 17. ' Major Setbn, prior to becoming attached to the 'medical, section of the Commonwealth Forces, was a prominent Collins Street doctor. By the last mail his agents advised him that his inother had died, (ind that lie inherited her*'estate. He intended remaining in ..'England, and asked them to wind-up his Australian affairs. He served in the South African War.— Press Assn.-" '' ' ■ ' 5