ALLEGED MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 100, 8 February 1868, Page 4

ALLEGED MURDER AND SUICIDE.

On "Wednesday, rumours were rife in Blenheim to the effect that a series of murders had been committed in the Clarence district. Erom enquiries made, the following seems to be reliable. On Sunday last a messenger arrived at Mr. T. Carter’s, at Hillersden, from Mr. Saxon’s Station, Tarndale House, at the head of the Clarence gorge (a hard day’s ride), with information to the effect that two dead bodies had been found—one near Tarndale, where some persons belonging to the station saw at a distance a man shot by a horseman. The description of the latter answered to a person known in Nelson, while the dead body was identified as that of Dutch Charlie, both parties being employed on Mr. S. Carter’s station at the head of the Clarence, and within the Nelson province, distant from Tarndale about 25 miles. As some doubt exists as to the facts of the case, we shall now only say that we understand some time ago Mr. I. .. . A.. .. despatched a letter to some lady in whom he felt interested by the hand of Dutch Charlie, who is said to have taken it to the shepherd’s whare, where it was opened, and its contents discussed and animadverted upon. This coming to the knowledge of the writer, he vowed he would shoot him, such is now supposed to have been his fate. Some travellers on their way to Nelson discovered a second dead body, a mile or two distant from the first, and from the description given, it appeared certain that it was either A, and that he had shot himself, or a man named Murphy, who is missing from home an undue length of time, both of whom were dressed much alike. The principals in this tragedy (if such has occurred) had been mates for some twelve or fifteen months, at Mr. Carter’s. Mr. Thomas Carter started for the site of the occurrence on Monday morning last, and most likely the story will be further developed very shortlyAThe Kaikoura mailman, who arrived on Sunday last, states that he heard nothing whatever of the affair on crossing the lower Clarence on the Saturday previous. "We may state that no information of an official character has reached Blenheim, and a confusion of dates involves the whole matter in obscurity. 1

Most likely the following paragraph, which appeared in the Nelson Evening Mail on Saturday evening last, has reference to the above affair: —“We regret to hear that information yesterday (Friday), reached Mr. .Augarde, of the Turf Hotel, Stoke, that his eldest surviving son, who had for some time past been residing upon Mr. S. Carter’s station, on the Clarence, had been found dead on the road between the Rainbow and Tarndale. A very tragical story, connected with the cause of his death, is afloat, to which we purposely abstain from making any further allusion, until the arrival of more authentic information. Mr. Augarde left for the scene of the fatal disaster immediately onreceipt of intelligence.”