SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT INVER CARGILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2177, 5 September 1907, Page 2

SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT INVER CARGILL.

YOUNG MINER SHOOT,S HIS SWEETHEART AND HIMSELI'. NEITHER EXPECTED TO LIVE. JEALOUSY THE SUPPOSED CAUSE. Press Association. INVERCARGILL, September 4. Shortly after 11 o’clock on Tuesday evening a shocking scene took place at Nightcaps. , o 0 Henry Reid, a miner, about ZZ, was the principal participant. He is a Tasmanian, and came to live at Nightcaps about seven or eight months ago. Ho/Jodged with Mrs. Gibbons nearly the whole or that period, and it seems that lie fell in love with Miss Lydia Gibbons, 22 years of age. She, however, did not encourage his attentions, being engaged to another, a flax-miller in the district. About a month previous to Tuesday night’s occurrence she told Reid finally how she was placed, and that slie could not and would not have anything to do with him. Jealousy appears to have been working till last night, when Reid could contain himself no longer. .He had been working in the mine till 8 o clock. Ho came home, dressed, went to receive liis pay at about 9, and returned at 10. One of Miss Gibbons’ sisters, aged about 14, gave him supper, and a few minutes later Lydia herself cline in. Her sister retired, leaving the two alone, the rest of the family being in bed. The only sound audible in the House was the quiet talking of t-lie man and girl in the kitchen. Not long after 11 F. Gibbons, who is a carpenter, was startlea by hearing two shots in quick succession, and another, aparen-tly muffled-, a few minutes later. At first it did not strike him that the sound was from firearms, and he concluded it was the banging of a door, but presently he heard groans, and rose to find- out the cause, but hearing nothing more returned to liis room, thinking that the groans came from some of the younger members of the family, who were suffering from whooping cough. It was not until J. Foster, a miner, who slept m an adjoining room, awoke him that lie became' alarmed. Foster cried, “Whatever is the matter?” and both men got uji without delay. There were lights burning in both diningroom and kitchen, and on opening the door leading outside from the kitchen they stumbled across the prostrate body of Miss Gibbons, lying in a pool of blood. The two men carried the girl into the House, and Dr. Baird and the iiolice were at once summoned. The young woman’s face was blackened with tho smoke from the powder, and a bullet wound was seen just over the. right eye. bhe w.as quite unconscious. About a chain away from the house iu an adjoining section is a well, about 25ft deep, holding four or five feet of water. Here Reid was found groaning and clutching the rope. Gibbons went down the rope, and the swooning man was hauled up. He was all but unconscious, having shot himself through the palTliis morning both sufferers were taken to Riverton Hospital. The docrtor reports that both cases are very serious. Reid is shot through tffe palate, and the bullet has lodged in an inaccessible place at the base of the brain. The condition of Miss Gibbons is, if anything, more serious. She was also shot in the thigh. The doctor holds out little hope of recovery in either case. So far neither lias been able-to speak. A packet of strychnine purchased from an Invercargill chemist was found in one of Reid’s pockets. Miss Gibbon was at one time an attendant Gibbons was at one time an attendant

LATEST PARTICULARS. INVERCARGILL, September 4. The latest news from Nightcaps is to the effect that, there is a chance of recovery for both Reid and Miss Gibbons. She was able to say “No, thank you,” when asked if she wanted a drink of water.. It is stated that if she survives she will lose the sight of the left eye, under which the bullet entered.