Tragedy in New South Wales

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 152, 18 June 1891, Page 4

Tragedy in New South Wales

A tenibly tragedy occurred at Rose Isle recently. Peter Murray, a homestead -lessee, while" working ai hil place noticed a man named Ki-uip acting iv an eccentric manner. with a huge Auiericau "axe, and evidencing ~ all the signs of being a dangerous luuatic Keeping his eye on the mau, he sent one of his sons to biiug tbe police. ' After a while "Murray went to wheie Keiup was to see what , was the niatterT L -He eudeavored by persuhsiou to get the madman to give up the axe, but the latter refused While this was proceeding William Austin, an old man of Bixty-six, only recently from England, cauie up. As he approached Keuip became quiet but suddenly 1 he made a despprate rush, and, swinging the axe above his head ; struck Austin down with a fearful blow on tbe shoulder, followed by a back-handed blow ou the groiu lHe then turned with a tigeiish fury on Murray. The latter evaded the lunatic; and, getting hold of his gun, which -he had with him, fired point blank, without raising it to his '- shoulder. The bullet struck tbe madman edmewhat close to the heart, and he fell dead_ ' Austin did not die till some hours later.- An inquest has been hel'd,^ at which Murray was exonerated from all lame.-— Dunedin Star s Australian letter.