SENSATIONAL TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1528, 28 March 1916, Page 3

SENSATIONAL TRAGEDY.

MAN SHOOTS HIS SWEETHEART. THEN SEEKS HIS OWN END. Shortly after 9.30 p.m. yesterday, the Nairn Street reserve at Wellington was the scene of a sensational affair, in which a man named Ernest Devoin shot his betrothed sweetheart and afterwards attempted to take his own life. Both were taken to the hospital, the man being seriously wounded in the head, his condition. indeed, being critical. According to the woman’s narrative, it appears that shortly beforl 9 o’clock the man, Ernest Devoin, who came to Wellington by motor-car earlier, in the.day, took his fiancee, Louisa White, a young lady of about twenty-seven years of age, who resides in Devon Street with her stepparents, out for a walk. The couple, who were to have been married next Thursday, proceeded to.the Nairn Street reserve, seemingly to have a confidential talk, he being somewhat distressed over business matters. At about 9.45 p.m. she suggested returning home, complaining of the wind. She next heard the explosion of a firearm, and found that she was shot in the back. She then collapsed. Immediately afterwards another shot was heard by several persons in the vicinity*. At xo. 10 p.m. several telephone calls apprised the Mount Cook police of the occurrence. Sergeant E. W. Scott and Constable Barns were quickly on the scene, and found the man Devoin lying in a pool of blood on a grassy slope in the reserve in close proximity to Bidwell Street. The woman was a few feet away, with a wound that was bleeding profusely. A .32 calibre five-chamb£red revolver. of a cheap bull-dog make, with two chambers discharged was found in the vicinity.

A hasty examination showed that the man, who was unconscious, had a nasty bullet wound, obviously self-inflicted in the right temple. The woman, who was scarcely conscious, was bleeding from a wound in the small of the back. The bullet had evidently passed near the spine, and it is feared has penetrated the intestines. The hospital motor ambulance was immediately summoned, and the pair were hastened to the hospital, where Dr. D. L. Clay gave his immediate attention to the case. The man was still unconscious, but the woman was able to give the police a few details ot the occurrence.. Both were in a critical condition, and it was discovered that the bnllet had injured the woman's spine, while there was but small hope of the man’s recovery.

The man Devoin is said to be a native of Australia’ A short time ago he came to New Zealand, and was engaged as a hairdresser at Foxton. It was stated that he intended to stay with his financee’s people until the day of the wedding. The woman was employed in the city, and was living with her relatives in Devon Street, off Aro Street.

Upon inquiry at the hospital early this morning, it was ascertained that the condition of both of the victims of the tragedy w.as serious. The man had a severe wound in the right temple, with a considerable amount of laceration. The bullet had not been extracted and his case was regarded as critical. The woman had been shot in the back, apparently at close range, and the bullet was believed to have lodged in her spine. No immediate danger was apprehended In her case.

[We understand that Devoin was in this district for a little time last year, being employed assisting in the cookhouse at one of the flaxmills. As far as can be ascertained he left Foxton about the end af August and in November Mr E. Ball received a letter from him, written from Wellington, inquiring if he would consider selling his hairdressing and tobacconist business. Mr Ball replied that the business was not for sale and no further communication was received’ from the man.]