TRAGEDY AT BALLARAT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2312, 3 October 1908, Page 1

TRAGEDY AT BALLARAT .

MINER SHOOTS HIS WIFE. A PROAIINENT FOOTBALLER. A shocking tragedy occurred in a house in Grant-street, Ballarat East, on Saturday night, the 19th inst., and a minor, Albert Cartledgo, was -arrested on a charge of tlio murder of his wife, Ellen McPheo Cartledgo, aged 31 years, and the mother of four children.

The tragedy is supposed to havo been the outcome of a drinking bout on the part of tho prisoner, who "is a well-known resident of .the district. Cartledgo, who is 32 years of ago, has been of intemperate habits for a number of years, with] the result that ho has 'had frequent quarrels .with his wife. O.n the . Sailurday lie attended a foothill match at the City Oval between Ballarat and South Ballarat. For a long while ho had been a leading player in the last-named club, but during recent seasons lie had not taken part in any of the principal matches. When he reached his cottage at 6.30 p.m. lie is alleged to have been "in a maddened condition through drink and very quarrelspmo. After n violent altercation with' his wife, it is alleged that lie produced a loaded Colt’s revolver and rushed into the yard and discharged one of the chambers in the air. Mrs Cartledgo and her children were greatly alarmed when they hoard the report of tho revolver, and they ran through the house on to the front verandah. The loud screams of the wife and children attracted the attention of three neighbors. A second shot was hoard, and then the three men entered the dwelling. In the bedroom they found Cartledge sitting on a chair, while his wife was lying in bed, bleeding from a wound in tho centre of tho forehead. The head and shoulders of the woman rested on the lap of Cartledge. Mrs Cartledge was still alive, but unconscious, and on the floor lay the revolver. The neighbors seized Cartledge, who resisted wildly, but made no statement, regarding the occurrence. He was deeply distressed, and was anxious to do something with a view of affording liis wife relief. Mrs Cartledge about half an hour after her discovery in tho bedroom.' When the police entered the house, which consists of six apartments, they found Cartledge in the diningroom, struggling with a second woman, who had been endeavoring to prevent his return to the bedroom in which his dying wife was lying. When searched at the Ballarat East- lockup, two watches, a gold albert, and 2s Gd in silver and copper coins were found in Cartledge’s possession. Attached to the watch chain was a gold medal worth about £3, bearing the following inscription :• — “Presented by R. Quick, Esq., won by Mr A. Cartledge, for best allround play, Ballarat, 1895.” Cartledgo was at one time regarded by local footballers os one of the host goal-kickers in the Ballarat district. The six-chambered revolver, on being examined by the police, was found to bo loaded in two chambers, while two chambers contained cartridge shells, and two chambers were empty.