WIFE MURDERED

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1933, Page 5

WIFE MURDERED

HUSBAND 'SUICIDES

TERRIBLE til-CORNE TRAGEDY.

(Per Press Aiswoeiation—Copyright).

GISBORNE, December 16.

The small soldiers’' settlement of Wharekaka,. four miles from Tolaga. Bay, which •is; 36' miles. north of Gisborne, was the scene, of a terrible tragedy , in- the : early, hoursof this morning, when a woman; was -former dead with a fractured sleull,, .and iatqr her hitsljund’s body was .discovered in a milking shed with a bullet wound in the 'head.' •' ' . .

Deceased., were, Amelia jMartin', 33 years of age, and her husband, Henry Martin, .bet.er. known as- '‘-Kelly.’’ iMarffin, about 63 years -of a ge. Both were well-known residents of the district.

Early • thi s morning ' Constable Canning, of Tolaga ; Bay, .phoned to Inspector th't the woman had been found dead in the garden at her - home, apparently murdered. and that the i husband was missing. The woman’s body; was covered-'with a sack and an -oilskinA;Suspecting . the man had taken to the'bush, a party comprising Inspector" O’Hallora'n, Senior. Sergeant Wa'de, Plain?.C-othes Constable ■ King, and also kr .E. L, Walton, Coroner, Jeft Gisborne-, about 7 a m On arrival lat Tolaga Bay, they we- a met by Constable, OEnning, who . reported that he had found.the husband in the milking shed, about 150 yards from the. house. There -. was eyidence that Martin had taken a gun to the shed, tied a strap to- the /trigger.-' placed the mrszle in hi? , mouth, and then pulled the strap' down with his foot.

The woman had been struck with a blunt instrument; while in the bedroom, her skull being fractured.' F-w body was then -carried out in the g-ii- ; den and placed in the position. where it was found.

•’ Coroner Walton opened an inquest, and’ after identification -.proceedings; .adjourned it till ’Friday. . . ~ -Th e -couple -bad -led an unhappy life, and the woman had ; left home pending .proceedings’'for a separation'order, font slie returned home before the ~ -action wap heard. , The ivoman was at the picture j,how,, at Tolaga Bay - on Saturday night, and when she returned, it is understood, ' a Violent- quarrel onsued. From what can be gathered, it appears th’ft the w-omah was struck by an iron bolt,; and dh-e rEody. was taken through the house .in the' presence rf where it wa<s found. Deceased leaves « f amily of fme, the oldest being twelve years old. -v : k

DOUBLE TRAGEDY VLT AUCKLAND.

WIFE -AW HUSH AN!)- G ASSED;

Auckland; -December iM

A double tragedy we’s-discovered p'V +he 'Remuera Road at. eight ;.;o’clc'k this morning, when Wnt. Br.ander, 60 years, a man well-known in .-Au'kland business .circles, and his -.w.i'e,’ Path Marv SeeH RfnnfW, aybii years, were found deid in' their kJtcben. Gas-poisoning is^presumed ■ to be the cantse or 'death. Brander was manager of Collins Bros.’ branch. in Auckland He and h’V wife were vdidelv respected residents of, N w Zealand for some 18. years. Previously they lived in England, where Brill- 1 jp wa,s stockbrocker. It is understood .that an unsigned note led the maid , e mploved at Ihe h-mise to communicate' with a doctor, and the tragedy was . then The bodies were -Ivina ,on the floor, willows being beneath-Afieyhesds’ of the husband and wife. ' Gas) was escap'ug from the oven. It-was turned off,' a"d police assistance- was obtained. The Rrahder.s were a most,.- devoted cruise. They did not hatA-V • >?®v. •• child van. Braitder had lately .bem-dn ill .health. iTt ‘is undenstoocU t-hati'-Ihe doctor’s verdict is a. very disquieting one. , prior to coming to New Zealand in 1915. Brander was a member of the •London Ptocfe Exchange. '‘Fe was a keen sports enthusiast, a .‘member of the Middlemore r*olf Olub and ’"“l 1 -- krioW.n as a tennis' And fflpvsr,. He was a member ■■'of'.Die ' Northern Club. He was married in 1919. ■ •- {