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Evening Star, Volume III, Issue 840, 15 January 1866, Page 2

The JVmv Zetland of the 3rd inst., gives the following account of a horrible murder and attempted suicide, which occurred on Tuesday, the 2nd inst. : At an early hour yesterday morning information was conveyed to the Police Station. to effect, that a man named Thomas Walker, residing at Pipitea. had murdered IPs wife, and had attempted to commit suicide The particulars of this sad affair will be found detailed in the evidence taken before the Coroneryt sterday. and published in full elsewhere. We may, however, supplement the facts by a few particulars When the police reached the scene, they found, in the house occupied by the murderer and his wife, the woman lying dead upon the floor with her throat cut : and close to her lay the unfortunate husband. '1 he man was found to be alive, but his throat was cut in a most frightful manner, and a gurgling sound came from him as he breathed. Alongside of Walker, and within arm’s reach, was found a razor covered with blood, and there is no doubt existing that the wretched man first cut his wife’s throat, and then attempted to c inmit suicide by catting his own. The evidence taken at the Coroner’s inquest, however, fully details the sad cireumstan-

cts of tlie melancholy event. Doctors Boors and Grace were immediately sent for, and on their arrival they ordered Walker tQ. be reinoved to the hospital, where he was at once attended to. From what we have been enabled to learn, it appears that Walker and his wife have lived very unhappily together. They have, until recently, been residing in the Rangitiki district, and came to Wellington some three or four months ago. during which time Mrs. Walter had preferred two charges against her husbaod—one for assault, the o f her for desertion. The charges were not pressed in either case, and the man was discharged-from custody. Yesterday morning Mr Police Inspector Atchison proceeded to the hospital, and saw Walker. On seeing Mr Atchison enter the ward, the unfortunate man made signs for writing materials, and upon his request being acceded to. lie penned the following note : “ Please go to the house, and in the bedroom you will find a door with a small bed on it. and a tub under, and a scantling on it; between the door and the tub you will find a paper for Mr Ward, the Magistrate. “ Thomas Walker.” Mr Atchison at once proceeded to the spot and found the paper in the place indicated. The document in question, dated Rangitiki, December 8, 1860, was to the effect that Thomas Walker was a respectable hard-working mm, and that he had been well known as such in the district for the last ten years; lie had become possessed of a small freehold, but he had been obliged to dispose of it through the gross misconduct of his wife. This document was signed by some nine or ten settlers in Rangitiki. On the inside sheet was written the following : “ This is to certify that I am obliged to commit the deed that I have done, and through her gross misconduct to me ; I have done, and I hope you will take my children, and never east up to them the deed that I have done.” This was very legibly written in pale ink, and one or two of the words in tne last lines were difficult to decipher. Walker and h.s wife have had throe children, and as will be seen by the evidence the second eldest was present when her father committed the horrible deed. We understand there is every reason to believe that the unhappy man will live, although the attempt to take away his life appears to have been one of the most determined character.