TRIPLE MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1284, 8 October 1886, Page 4

TRIPLE MURDER AND SUICIDE.

The European ‘ Mail’ supplies the following particulars of the triple murder and suicide at Penzance which was briefly referred to in our cablegrams some time ago : A series of shocking murders took place at Penzance on the afternoon of July 28. A man named James Hawke shot his s'ster, her husband, and the wife of a neighbour, and then shot himself. The murderer was the son of the late Mr James Hawke, shoemaker, and at the time of his death was 52 years of age. He served his apprenticeship as a tinman with Mr T Stewart, Causeway Head, Pens zance. About 25 years ago he went to Australia, where he became fairly successful in the wool trade. He came to England about eight years ago, remained three or four months, •and returned to Australia. He again came home about the latter pait of last year, and stayed in Penzance for few weeks and then went to Bristol or its neighbourhood, returning to the town about five or six weeks ago. He appeared to be a quietly disposed man, and very sociable, being especially proud of showing his writings in a journal to which he was a frequent •contributor of charades, and so forth, under the noms de plume of •* Ross” or “ Palala ” His sister Mary was many years his junior and her husband, Charles Wren, shoemaker, a very well known, quiet, and respectable man, was a son of Mr John Wren, printer. They all lived together in Marine Place. The other victim is Mrs Gerrard, the wife of Mr Gerrard, a watchmaker, of Daniel Place. An eye wi » ness thus describes the scene :—“I was startled by a loud report. Notice ing from what quarter the sounds proceeded, f scaled the wall, and found myself within a few feet of the house In which the Wrens resided. I noticed at once that a woman was lying in the small front yard, and this person I recognised at once as Mrs Gerrard, one of my neighbour's. The woman’s husband, who scarcely seemed to realise the terrible situation in which he was placed, was standing near what proved to be the lifeless body of his wife, and did not attempt to move, In the doorway of the house lay the murderer Hawke, bleeding from a wound in the temple. 1 walked over Hawke’s body into the house The man was lying in a pool of blood, with his feet towards the doorway, and on the other side of the room lay the dead body of his wife. I afterwards heard Gerrard relate what he had witnessed of the •deed. Hemet Hawke returning from boating, and they entered the house together. Mrs Wren had a glass of beer with her brother, and the two came to a few words. Wren interposing, Hawke immediately drew from his pocket a revolver which he brought home from Australia, where he had been some years in the bush. Mrs Wren became alarmed, and Hawke at once shot his sister, and followed this by firing at her husband, each shot taking effect and the victims falling to the ground, Mrs Gerrard. who had been iu the ? roont with the Wrens, rushed out of the bouse, but Hawke fired a third shot at her before she could get into the street, and she fell inside the yard gate mortally wounded. The murderer then deliberately loaded bis pistol in the barrels which had been discharged and shot himself on the doorstep. Gerrard added that he could not understand the motive of the murderer, seeing that Hawke seemed to have got on very comfort* ably with his sister and her husband, Wreu was a quiet, haul-working, and inoflensive man. Hawke has been a mystery to the neighbours since his return from Australia, for, though he did no work, it was generally known that he came home penniless.