A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1056, 14 October 1911, Page 3

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Giseorne, Oct. 12

A shocking tragedy occurred at Tolaga Bay, thirty-six miles up the east coast, this aiternoou, about half-past two, William Reid cutting his wife’s throat with a razor and subsequently taking his own life by the same means. Reid, who is only about twentyeight years of age, was employed as stableman at the Tolaga Bay Hotel, and his wife was also employed in the hotel as a laundress. The affair is quite inexplicable, as although the couple had minor quarrels, nothing of a violent nature had, so tar as is known, come between them.

Both have the reputation of being good workers, and those who knew Reid best say he was a quiet, sober young fellow, and by no means a man likely to do

murder. Mrs Reid’s father and mother live in Tolaga Bay. The couple were married at Kketahuna about three years ago, and there is one child, about two years old. About a fortnight ago Reid, while following his occupation, wrenched his knee, and since then had been more or less laic up, spending a good deal of his time lying on his bed.

An examination of the bodies showed that Mrs Reid had a deep gash on one side of her throat only, while Reid, who had evidently stood in front of a mirror to take his own life, almost severed his head from his body. Gisborne, Oct. 13. ■

This morning an inquest was first taken on the body of Mrs Reid, and the jury returned a verdict as follows :—“ From evidence and letters the jury are of opinion that the parties lived unhappily and were continually quarrelling and that deceased met her death by wounds in the neck, but there is no direct evidence to show by whom they were inflicted.” An inquest is now being held on Reid.