THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1925, Page 1

THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY

FURTHER PARTICULARS. [by TELEGRAPH —PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION*. DUNEDIN, November 9. Tho motive of tlie crime is not known yet. Tho woman is in custody aiul her husband, who was working at the time, has been in, a state almost of collapse since he saw lvis children in tho ghastly condition in which his wife’s handiwork left them. The act seems to have been that of a demented woman. Even experienced police officer’s found the scene inside the house one that fully taxed their self control.

The first alarm was when Airs O. B. Ufton, a neighbour, heard a frantic knocking at the front door, which made her feel that something serious had happened. She went there to find Mrs Hart terribly agitated.

“Oil Airs Ufton, come quickly!” Mrs Hart cried. “I’ve killed my kids!”

The woman, who had a man’s coat around her shoulders and three small cuts, like razor marks, across her throat, led Airs Ufton to her house. A frightful scene fully confirmed her statement. Lying in the pram was tho youngest victim, its head almost severed. The other two children wero huddled on the kitchen mat, bleeding freely from great gashes in their throats. Tho elder hoy had apparently been preparing for school. He had one stocking partially pulled on. The breakfast dishes were still on the kitchen tabc, and Die meal had evidently just been finished. All tho children were quite dead, and a blood-stained razor on tho floor near .the hoys’ bodies. Airs Ufton was homo at the time. She deserves credit for her presence of mind in an appalling situation. After glancing at the two children, she went out to summon her husband who returned with her. He locked the door, and got his sister to telephone for tho police and for a police surgeon. -Mr Ufton also sent a message to tlie husband, Alexander Hart, who as a carpenter, was working at a- house on Wilkie Road. The husband left for home hv motor ear.

Mrs Hart knew that a message was being sent to her husband. She appealed to Airs Ufton to break ' tho news to him gently. “Don’t give him too much of a shock!” she pleaded, but the unfortunate man plainly showed tho effect of the terrible blow he had received. lie stopped at tho house for a while. Then, almost in a state of collapse, he was taken by motor to the office of his employer at Anderson’s Bay.

The condition of the slain children was such that it needed no expert cyo to tell they were past all hope. Tho doctor made a careful examination, hut, of course, could merely say that the children were dead.

'Three slight wounds that were tho sole consequence of the apparent attempt that the unfortunate woman made on her own life were examined by the doctor. 'These 'were found to he so slight that the application of a little iodine sufficed. All's Hart, before the arrival of the police, was taken by Airs Ufton into the latter’s house. She did not go hack to her own tragic house. The street in which the tragedy occurred is in the- more populous part of Kaikorai, occupied by people in comfortable circuiii.slniices. The neighbours, to whom, of course, the tragedy gave a terrible shock, say Air and Airs Marl came to llie district a few weeks ago from Mosgiel. Mrs Hart is believed to have been a North Island resident at one time. The house is one of live or six rooms, and stands on a small section. To those associated with Air Hart, the tragic occurrence has been a shock.

“ lie is one of the best,” his employer said Ibis afternoon. “He is well thought of by his fellow workers. I hold him in the highest esteem. AVe all feel for him in his terribe situation.”'

It is a populous street in. which the tragedy took place, and, though Airs Hurt is described as being “rather reserved,” the children were well known and were favourites of most of the residents.”

The women say that the- general impression was that Airs Hart was very loud of her children. They recall several incidents, admittedly trivial enough, hut all indicative of a basic impression that was taken as reflecting the mother’s affection for the children, who died by her hand. Many women were in tears. One spoke regret Tullv of Mrs Hart’s reserve. I m wondering now,” she said, “il it would have been different had we taken steps to secure her friendship. The whole neighbourhood is in gloom. No one can realise that such a grim spectre lias descended on one of Dunedin’s pleasantest suburbs. “Wo cannot believe,” said a neighbour, “that those bright little children have been spirited away Irom us in such a horrible way.” 9

It is the unanimous belief of those who know the family that the deed is that of a demented woman. The man’s employer said AH Hart told him that, when he left home, he had not tho slightest inkling that there would ho am- untoward happening.

Commenting on the cuts on the wAman’s throat. Airs Ufton said the impression that she gathered was that the woman was quite insane when she committed the act and that she came to her senses just ns she was about to take her own life.