THE LATE TRAGEDY IN DUNEDIN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1106, 13 July 1883, Page 3

THE LATE TRAGEDY IN DUNEDIN.

In the way of tragedies of a sensational character, we believe that Dunedin can hold its own against any other town in New Zealand, and if it hut continues in the same direction for another few years, it will be able to claim the palm against the world. The la-s tragic act, now known as the ‘Manor Place Tragedy,” eo ipaes in its atrocity all previous ones, and let us in all charity hone that the deed was that ot a madman. It is beyond belief that a man in his senses could have thought out and carried into execution so truly diabolical a massacre, and there are few, we think, but who will endorse the “ open ” verdict returned by the Coioner’s jury, and none but will agree with the rider “ That no person should ho allowed to purchase dynamite without a license ” In the case under notice dynamite was the agent employed, and that it is a terrible agent in the hands of a man who has any knowledge of it, was too plainly demonstrated. The following ex f racts from the evidence given at the inquest on the two bodies, George Timothy and his wife Mary Stephenson, contain the whole gist of the terrible affair : Henry Blyth Stenhoune said; The deceased Mary Stephenson was my daughter. She was 33 years of age at the time of her death. She has been married for ten years, but has been seperated from her husband for the last four or five years on account, of his idle habits. Her husband has frequently threatened her, and she has on one occasion told me that he threatened her life. Two or three years ago when he was going North he wished to borrow money of her, and when she would not lend it he threatened that if he returned “ broke” he would cut her throat and the children’s. There has never been a night for a long time past but that be molested her coming home. He not only did this, but cameup on many occasions and assaulted me. Mhe did not seem frightened of him at all. He was a temperate man only when he could not get drink. I never saw anything strange about him, unless what you may call devilment. He has not latterly been following any occupa tion that lam aware of. I last saw him on Thursday. He made no threats at the time. About two months ago he was taken up, and gotjsevenjdays forusing violent language to her. On that occasion he said, “ One of us must din.” I know nothing of the circumstances ot the death. 1 heard the ex» plosion, and 1 had my own thoughts about it. Shortly afterwards Mr Blair, of and Blair, came up and asked for me, and said something had happened in Manor place. He a» much as said it was my daughter that was killed. I did not go down to see the bodies. Stephenson was bound over to keep the peace, but it made no difference to him. He seemed to defy the law, A Juryman : Had you any idea that he would carry hia threats into execution ? Witness : 1 have had my own fears for the last two years, because the man was really not safe to go about. He has been reported to the police. 1 never exactly thought he was out of his mind. To a Juryman : He appeared fond of his children. He went down to see the boy at school at Kensington lately, and took him up to Mr Park’s school to get the girl out. The mistress would not let her go, however. The children were afraid of him. because they had heard sufficient of hj s language to frighten them. Andrew Turnbull Anlerson, contractor, said that the decease'! man was his brotherin law. He was for a number of years a bank clerk, but had latterly been mining, labouring, or doing any work he could get. He l a I been about 35 years in the Colony, and witness knew of no particular cause for his separation from hia wife. Witness had seen him daily of late' Up to last we khe had been working in town He had been very despondent of late, especially on the day that this occurred. Domestic troubles were the cause of this despondency. He was always cravin'* to see bis children, and this seemed to prey upon his mind a good deal. He could not see them at all, and he seemed to speak m re of the children than of the wife. Deceased was striving to upset the protection order and get to see his children. Witness knew he had written to the Minister of Justice asking him to set aside the protection order. Deceased had been mining at Hindon, and on Tuesday last had brought some dynamite down from where he had been working. He said he had left it with a person at Anderson’s Bay. Witness had heard him say, after he had been up to try and see his children, “ Do not let. them be surprised if they see me dead on their doorstep some morning.” Witness had also heard him say several times that he had nothing to live for, and might as well he dead as alive. Witness had never heard him make any throat of what he would do. He had dynamite when speaking to witness but witness did not think he meant to use it. He took the package out in witness’ house, and witness said, “ Good gracious ; you don’t mean to say you have got that and children in the house.” He then took it away. They never had conversation on any other su' ject, as deceased was always talking about his domestic troubles. Archibald Cargill, clerk, r aiding in Manor place, said he was standing at his own door at about a quarter past 6 with his brother looking up towards Maitland street, and saw what he presumed to be people playing with fireworks. It appeared to be squibs swung round, and whilst this was going on witness heard two loud shrieks in a female voice. Nothing articulate was said. Witness of course presumed it was a question of play until this followed in a second or two by a tremendous blast Witness then know it must be a gunshot, or perhaps worse. He did not suspect anything wrong then, but thought it might be a question of broken windows He could geo nothing ; it was too daik. Witness ran up, and passed, two figures—one standing in an easy altitude against the fence, the other in a recumbent position. The man was standing, and the woman had her back against the fence. Witness struck a match, and young Mr Reid came out of his house and asked if tbeie was anything wrong. Witness asked him to go for the police and a cab, and he himself remained on the spot. All he could remark was that both figures were headless. The man’s hand was intelaced with the fence, but whether he had taken hold of it or ha"! been caught there witness [could not say. The position was a quite natural one, as though he was speaking to the figure below. The coroner having summed up, The Jury were then left to consider their verdict, and at the expiration of half an hour brought in the tollowing :—“ We find that the deceased, Mary and George Timothy Stephenson, were killed by the explosion of a dynamite cartridge which was fired by the said deceased George Timothy Stephenson ; but there is no evidence to show what state of minct he was in when he ignited the cartridge. To this was attached the following rider : “ And the jury are of opinion that no person should be allowed to purchase or use dynamite without first obtaining a license there* for.”