THE SEVENOAKS TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 449, 23 January 1909, Page 3

THE SEVENOAKS TRAGEDY.

Remarkable Explanation

A Hindoo Vendetta

An explanation is given in the New York American of the mysterious Sevenoaks tragedy. It is, as the paper admits, almost incredible, but it is very circumstantial.. Readers of the cable news will remember that first Mrs Luard was murdered, and then the General, weighed down by the suspicions cast upon him, committed suicide. This is the story of the London correspondent of the American :

A remarkable and almost incredible story of love, revenge, and Indian vengeance lies behind the Luard mystery, which embraced the double tragedy of the murder of Mrs General Luard and the suicide of the General.

Only to a few outside Government officials and detective circles is the real solution of the strange shooting in a lonely wood at Sevenoaks ot Mrs Luard known, and extra precautions have been taken by these to keep the facts a secret. Clues have been abandoned and sources of information blocked notwithstanding the fact that public opinion was strongly against General Luard when the murder of his wife was discovered.

No crime for years has excited so much discussion and public interest. London newspapers devoted pages to the case. Mrs Luard was found shot in the lonely woods adjoining their country mansion at Sevenoaks. Robbery was not the motive, but among the few articles of jewellery missing when the crime was discovered was a peculiar ring of Oriental workmanship, and of very unusual design. It was a matter of much comment at the time that many days elapsed before Scotland Yard was called in to assist in unravelling the mystery. It was intimated in the papers that the General was fully conversant with the perpetrator of the crime, but was withholding that information from the police. Hundreds of anonymous letters in this stiaiu were sent to him, and the impression prevailed in many quarters that when he took his own life, by throwing himself under an express train, this opinion was justified. The true story of the doable tragedy is now said to be this:— Forty years ago a British officer was stationed at Rawal Pindi, India. He was a dashing, daredevil young man, engaging in all the pursuits inseparably associated with an Indian frontier station. This was LieutenantLuard. He had influential connections in high circles, and could look forward to certain advancement. One day at some military sports he met a beautiful native girl.' She was the daughter of an bid Indian moneylender, and throughout the district was famed for her beauty and fascinating figure. Young Luard soon succumbed to the witchery of the girl, and before long had persuaded her to join him. A ring said to possess mysterious charms was given to the lieutenant by the girl as a love token.

The affair was common talk in the garrison, but as the girl never went near the officers’ quarters, there was no official interferance. Some of Luard’s brother officers made repeated attempts to induce him to break off the liason, but without avail. He compromised, however, by sending the girl away to a bungalow in the hills, and gradually it was thought the two had dissolved partnership. One day there was an addition to the household in the bungalow —an unwelcome addition and after several troublous meetings, the young officer left the girl-mother and her son to their fate.

The years went by, and lieutenant Luard became a General. In 1877 General Luard was in command at Rawal Pindi, and an announcement was made of his engagement to a lady of his own race. Shortly after the date of marriage was officially given, and preparations made for grand festivities in honour of the event. At a garrison ball, an unhappy scene occurred when the function was in full swing. A commotion was heard in the hall, and a native woman was seen struggling with the sentries in an endeavour to gain admission. Her cries stopped the dancing. When he caught sight of the intruder, General Luard turned deathly white, and hurriedly escorted his wife from the scene.

“What are you going to do with our boy ?” cried the woman to the retreating General, and then the scandal was out. The native woman was ejected, but as she went she swore that she would be revenged

years. Time went on, General Luard rose rapidly in his country’s service, a son was born who entered the army, and then after eight or ten years the Genera) retired to his estate at Sevenoaks, a pretty spot about twenty miles from London. About six mouths ago a strange story was reported from Southampton. A grey-haired Hindoo woman accompanied by a swarthy man, made application to a magistrate for assistance. A story of abandonment was told, and a famous general's name was mentioned. The magistrate declined to go into the matter, and the two Hindus were next traced to the Franco-British Exhibition in London, where they were taking part in one of the native villiage performances.

Next General Luard received periodical letters at Sevenoaks of a threatening nature, and more than one story got abroad of if she hid to wait a thousand domestic differences in consequence. Then came the murder of Mrs Luird, and the discovery that the Oriental ring of peculiar workmanship which the General had given her years ago had been stripped fro n the dead woman’s hand.

It is a signifi :ant fact that since the day ot the murder the two Hindus of the Franco-British Exhibition have disappeared. In the light of this remarkable story, which was given to the writer by a high official, it is equally remarkable why the romance wunot revealed, proper precautions taken, and the stigma of reproach lilted from the unhappy General.

This is the story, of which it must be said, however, not a word appears in the English papers.