THE AROWHENUA TRAGEDY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1158, 9 May 1884, Page 4

THE AROWHENUA TRAGEDY.

The Mlowing are the main facts in connection with this occurrance: —

About daylight on Thursday morn log the deceased, John Garland, arose, ami slipping on his dressing gown pro needed upstairs and called his man ■servant. After receiving an answer he was heard to go dowi stairs again, and before the servant had fullydressed two reports of firearms were heard. As it is not 'daylight till about six o’clock, and as the dawn was just breaking, it is concluded that the time the reports were heard would bo between 6.15 and 6 30. The man servsnt and the servants paid no immediate attention to. the .occurrence though admitting that they were at bit -frightened. On one ot the servants going to the room with some coffee for her mistress, as she had been in the tabhoT doing, at about half-past seven o’cWk, she was startled to find that the bedroom ch or was locked, and ■smoke issuing from the keyhple and onnd the door, the, smoke smelling like burnt gunpowder. She imme. ‘diately called up her companions, and it was decided to send tor the police, and not break iutotheroom themselves. A messenger was despatched to Tetnuka, and on arriving at the police station he informed Constable Morton as well as he could of the circitmstancos surrounding the affair. Constable Morion went out at once, first sending for Dr Hayes, and both arrived at the i hotel about the same time. They at --once broke in the door of Mr Garland’sbedroom. On the floor at the foot of the bed lay, on its side, the body ot Mr Garland, and in the bed that of Mrs Garland. Mr Garland was the i.fiist looked to. On raising his body it was seen that the right side of his vface was blown away by a gunshot. Underneath the body lay the weapon with which the deed had been accomplished—a double barrelled breechloading fowling piece. The wound was of such a nature that oeath must i have been instantaneous, and the position in which the body was found showed that it was so. fn the bed she had slept in, covered with the bedclothes, lay tire body of Mrs Garland, ■ with a fearful wound in the back of ■ Gie head, visible to those entering the mom. In her case, too, death must have been instantaneous, the whole of ' the left upper side of the head being • blown away. On examining the gun a plait or coil of false hair was found fastened to the trigger guard with a loop which was lound round the left foot of the man. How the deed was ■ actually done can only he surmiseil, hut everything points to the supposii tion that the man deliberately shot his ■ wife as she slept, placing the muzzle of he gun close to her head, and after- ’ wards fixing the loop of hair to the ■ trigger, destroyed himself by tiring oft >i the second barrel with his foot. ’>The constable made a search of the "remises, and in one of the pockets ot • Garland’s coat he found the following letter addressed to Inspector Broham, who knew Garland in Chiistchurch:— April 30.

Mr Broham. Sir, —This letter is to let you know >that I did this act of injustice to my wife and myself and ray children and •God, and may God forgive me. There is;’£4o in the cash box,'.which belongs to Mrs Swinton, my sister, and a •'cheque on the bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, for money I have put in the Bank of New Zealand with my own account belonging to MrsSwinton; and 1 wish that money (£7O) paid to Mrs Swinton at once There is £l7O An the tank of New Zealand to my account, and 1 wish it to I e paid over to my brother’, Henry Garland, for to . se" my children right according to law; -and Mr Holmes, my solicitor, to act with my brother, so that my children get what belongs to me. It there is anything else, sell all you can, and divide it between the four children (three boys and one girl) now alive. Let them all have the same. If what is written down by me is not right according ro law, the law must put it right for my tour children. John Garland, It is said that Mr Garland received a telegram on Wednesday informing him that the tenant of property in •Christchurch belonging to him had failed, in consequence of which he •-(Garland) would lose £4OO or £SOO. This seemed to trouble him somewhat, Unit not vei y seriously, and it certainly : seems insufficent to furnish » motive ;for so terrible a crime. There is •seme talk ol domestic unhappiness as '•; a probable cause, but thoie is no infer.mationon this point Garland is a native of Jersey, and had teen in the Colony ai out eleven years. Heforraerly had tho Bailway Hotel at Christchurch.