The Melbourne Tragedy

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 104, 11 February 1886, Page 3

The Melbourne Tragedy

« [per united press association.] Melbouune. February 2. A case of murder und attempted stiicidi* occurred on TWsdny last at Co burp, in the family of Air Hampsan, For sever;il years armourer at Peutridge, It appears from the confession of one of his cUuklik lers that she conspired, witii three oilier sisters, all young women, and her mother, to kill a younger sister, aged nine, preparatory to committing suicide, in order to escape temptation. The child's throat was cut by Mrs Hampson, -while the child was held by her sisters. Then the sisters inflicted severe cuts on each others arms, from which, they nearly bled to death. A. strong taint of insanity runs in the family, and it is said that lately the girls have been reading the Pall Mall Gazette disclosaers, which have effected their intellects, causing them to imagine they were all victims of designing men On Wednesday an in mest was held on the body of the i-hild, but it had to be postponed, as the sisters could not attend. The inquest was adjourned for a month. The eldest son of the family then showed signs of insanity, and a doctor recom* mended his beinj; locked up. Since then, with the greatest difficulty, he has been persuaded to consume sufficient food to keep him alive, he being under an impression that there is a conspiracy to poison him.