TRAGEDY IN QUEENSLAND

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1072, 21 November 1911, Page 3

TRAGEDY IN QUEENSLAND

MOTHER AND FIVE CHILDREN KILLED.

Brisbank, Nov. 20

A fearlnl tragedy is reported near Alligator Creek, between Mackay and Plane Creek. Some time on Friday' the white wife of a Chinese farmer named Ching, and the family ot five children, were murdered in a most brutal fashion.

Citing went to Plane Creek on business, and on returning he fouudj the bodies of his wife, daughter Maud, aged sixteen, a boy aged five, and a baby girl together in the sitting room. The mother was shot in the neck, and horribly mutilated. Maud was also shot in the neck. The others had their heads smashed in. A search revealed the bodies of the other children. Teddy, aged ten, and Dolly, aged eight, threequarters of a mile from the house, it is supposed they were seen returning from school by the murderer, and enticed away and shot Their school bags were found on the kitchen table. Tne bodies in the house had been huddled together and covered with a tabic cloth, and the table placed on top. Ching states he left a Cingalese, evidently a servant, at home when he went to township. On returning he found the house locked, lie thought the family were visiting the neighbours. -He had tea with the Cingalese iu the kitchen, which is separated from the house, and then went to the ueigbours.' Failing to find the family he became alarmed, aud returned to search the house with the Cingalese when he made the terrible discovers’. When be tiled to communicate svilh the town he found the telephone wires cut, probably by the murderer. The police expect to make an arrest.