GHASTLY TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 15 June 1933, Page 5

GHASTLY TRAGEDY

MUR DKROUS ATTACK D ETA ILS oK rOUBLE TRAGEDY, (Per Press Association—Copyright). G ISBORNE,June 14. Further particulars been /received regarding , ) ../t:l} ! double tragedy at ; Wahatapii'ofi;o ) ' s j/ whiuiijjjn Joseph WilSoh allegedly- hilled > his wife and then,, coThmitted^iuicide. .Evidence of the purdexhus attack by. the huisband.' was .found: -when the 1 body of the woman \va s examined,. There was, a , wound oh.-.tlie back of the head, indicating that. Wilson had attacked,; her- .from belijiid,. while sha wa.s sitting at a serving ■machine, and had then cut her. throat/ with.' 'a razor. A piece of sewing \ya ß .on the niachjno and the . woman apparently . had' been sitting with'her back ;to the door. It is understood tjiat . Wilson., had been suffering from ; insomnia-. v , • A search of - revealed an axe with the blunt part ..of tlie « head covered iii blood.

It appears tlvat- thij wqnuiu. r been subjected -to a > murderous attack by her husband, Appaventi!y - s he had "been sitting: at a sewing machine., when the blqnt ; part the axe;. Ascended on ,her head >yith whilo % uneonseioux jWr.’'#-ro’i;:,«A*.. oiilb.. From " the trail'- u| blobd, .it- wahfevifr' dent that the pun hud. then faced tha; mirror-; and cut Ins threat 'with the game razor as he used on his wife.'

' .The couple, from aj,].,amounts, ' wore" in comfortable circbipstances, and the houfe was well •furnished. The Tent •ha<l been paid to the date of death, so that it iis . evident •that .' financial worries were not' the cause : of the tragedy. -7. ’ . i .

It- is understood that Wilson suffered from insomnia, and this- added to an attack of influenza . may have affected hig brain. lie had been a wel - known members of the Watersiders’ Union for the '.past--thirteen years, but according to neighbours, was of a -.somewhat morose ~He a very^tall.and powerful while the woman was slight and ; of' average' build. The residedin -Gisborno: for twenty,; yea-pe.' '■■Wiison’sj'fpaiv.; ents reside in Christehiir^v'’: y