Murder and Suicide.

Manawatu Herald, 21 November 1895, Page 2

Murder and Suicide.

Intense sensation has been caused in Sydney on Saturday, owing to the murder of his wife by Arthur Dacre, a well-known actor, followed by his own suicide. The tragedy is surrounded with the most pathetic circumstances. For some time past the Daorti have been engaged playing with Leitch's Company, at the Theatre Royal, taking the leading parti in the < Land of the Moa.' AH day yesterday they were confined to their rooms, partook of their meals in a room adjoining the bedroom, and were not seen by any of the inmates except the housemaid. At a late hour a noise was heard in the room of the adjoining bedroom, as if a quantity of crockeryware had been broken. Some minutes elapsed and then the beil was rung violently. The housemaid answered it but could not open the door, but she beard deep and dreadful moans inside. She entreated Dacra to. admit her, and he was heard to say that he could not, and then in a more distinct tone he said, "Break the door in and come in." She immediately ran for Mr Hinton, and he and another gentleman effected an entrance from this balcony, as the door from the corridor was found to be locked. Dacre was not dead, but expired soon after. Mrs Dacre was lying on the bed dreased in a nightgown as if shot in bed. There was with her a sheet of notepaper, blood stained, and which was written after the double deed had been committed. It ran. " God let us die together. I thought there was a last shot." Dacre was standing in the middle of the room wearing a pyjama suit, holding a six chambered revolver loaded, but from which two shots had recently been discharged, and a razor, which was covered with blood, was found in the washing basin. Dacra seems to have acted with method throughout the dreadful tragedy. He shot his wife before he broke crockeryware for the purpose of directing attention to the room, then finding this had not the effect he rang the bell and then went to his bedroom and cut his throat. — Press Association.