TRAGEDY IN SYDNEY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3758, 2 March 1907, Page 3

TRAGEDY IN SYDNEY.

Murder And Suicide By A New

Zealander.

A shocking tragedy, the result of unhabpy domestic relations, occurred at St. Peter’s Sydney, on Thursday of last week, when Henry Albert Medhurst, 60 years of age, was shot by Samuel Joseph Leith, who almost immediately after put the revolver to his head and blew his brains out.

In Medhurst’s case death vvas almost instantaneous, but Leith lingered for a little while and died shortly after medical aid arrived. It appears that Leith was about 45 years of age, labourer by occupation, and a native of New Zealand. He had been married about three yeaas, but his wife, Annie Leith, states they only lived with one another for about a month, and she had never had any support from her husband.

For some time past Mrs Leith had been residing with her mother and sister at 37, Pelverton-street. St. Peters, Medhurst also being a lodger there. Medhurst’s presence in the house had evidently caused Leith to become jealous. The latter had recently paid a couple of visits to the house, and on Tuesday afternoon he was there when his wife came home, and after some conversation Mrs Leith ordered him to leave the house, as he had already made enough mischief. Shortly aftet eight o’clock on Thursday night Mrs Leith came home and saw her husband at the gate. He knocked at the door, which was opened by Mrs Johnson, the mother of Mrs Leith. Leith asked if Medhurst was in, and Mrs Johnson replied that he was having tea, and invited her son-in-law inside. Medhurst then came to the door, and Leith went with him into the formers bedroom. After some talk Leith accused Medhurst of having taken his place in the house. Medhurst replied, “ Say that again and I will knock you down. My good name is everything.” In the meantime Mrs Leith had come into the room, and her husband asked Medhurst to come outside. Medhurst declined, and told Leith if he had anything to say to say it there. Leith then drew a revolver from the inside of his coat and fired, the bullet striking Medhust in the right breast. He fell back on the bed and died almost immediately. As soon as she saw what had happened Mrs Leith made a rush at her husband, and tried to wrest the weapon from him. In this she was unsuccessful, and Leith, shaking himself clear of her, placed the revolver to his temple and fired. Constable Regan, who lives in the street where the tragedy occurred, was made acquainted with what had taken place, and on arrival found the revolver, a fivechambered one, still grasped in Leith’s right hand. It was fully loaded in three chambers, and contained two empty shells. In the meantime Dr. Perkins had been summoned, but both men were past human aid. After entering Medhurst’s body the bullet seemed to have travelled along the chest towards his left side. The bullet which killed Leith went right through his head, and was subsequently found by Constable Regan. Mrs Leith had been previously married. Medhurst, it was stated, was employed at Redfern bowling green. Both bodies were left at the house for the night, awaiting instructions from the Coroner.