AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1933, Page 5

AUCKLAND TRAGEDY

A WOMAN VICTIM f. , : ■• - *}//■■- v ’ MAN FOUND WITH THROAT CUT. ; •V. ■ (Per Press Association — Copyright.)

i AUCKLAND, August. 16. A tragedy, the, , motive for- which appears still to be obscure, occurred at a-residence; at Crumtoer.' Road, Grey! Lynn, about , noon, when Mrs Christina Cunningham,, (aged 50, removed injuries to her ‘ throat and head which proved'fatah A A little over.Gan' hour' later, . John Edwards, a relief worker, aged 39, was found in'the house with a deep gash in his throat and with cuts in his left wrist; ;; -A.-. The discovery; was made, the 22 year old daughter of->Mrs Cunningham, on her return' from the city, where- she had been ( seeking.; work,' and both of < the’ victims were rushed 7 to Auckland’ Hospital. Mrs- Cunningham’s injuries were so .terrible that nothing could be done to sa-ve her but an • operation was performed at once on the man, and'*He. was'given a" blood transfusion. His -condition A.., throughout the day was j although at: a late hour,, lie had shown an ■ improvement, and' hopes Are entertained for his recovery. There the neighbours that, there was anything amiss iiv the hoike, .but when Joyce Cunningiiam' returned she found her toother lying pool of " blood on the dining ;; room floor in an' unconscious condition;- a'ndythe man Edwards was seated on’a chair nearby, with' blood gushing from 1 a f terrible wound in his throat,..’dnd ' from his left wrist. 'He. was 1 holding a razor in his hand,qbut did. not.'move; 1 . Miss Cunningham Tu'sliodLout the front door and, to the residence next door. ‘(Something ‘ dreadful - has happened!’’ she cailed’/oiit. ‘ Both of tlie J victims ; were -.still alive. They were pushed to., the hos- - pital. , Miss Cunninghqm said [that on Tuesday; night, been to>a dance,.land,;pn retprnifig; 1 sjie ssaw Fd■wards 'standing outside’ her home."She' 'f.o.olc him inside,,, and showedhim into • her father’s room at the back ,of the house..' A. 'A'-J.’U; -v l ' ( ''.L-V"-->

. According to . information;- gathered by 1 the police v .‘Edwards*'persuaded Cuimingkato to allqiy t<> f in the hbuse''.'fQ.r.;,the;,,, t nijD[h't',, and he slept in the' bnok' beclrodnrwith 'Ciinningliato.. Inrthe':inprnipg,OCuiiniiig<&aiu, -wim * s&t on relief work-, * was. jeaying- for- . the citv,. and,- took: - Edwards • within m. Thev parted 'iiiLNewton, and it is apparent that/’.Edwards*^-,returned , to the hciisc. id Cnifiiihertßhad;:' Lb, >•' Although ,no; turii to the ljohije, rtt ls.Lithtffiglif that Mrs Cumringhnm ' wn*s doing nayt of her housework yattho ; frout"of v' ,th© house -when l\e came Aback;. -i' -< •- The members oi.- the family have known Edwards - for. some; years, although he was hot regarded as a very close friend. He generaliy :'followed / the occupation'/)! a /salesman, and- he t' to know .the family about . six years asro, through calling • on. them when selling tea. \ ‘. v > There a-re a number/of'details con-' nected with the r trggedv yvbi c 'h the nolice have pot, yet cleared qp to their satisfaction. ; '• • - •