MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2131, 22 May 1920, Page 3

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

DOUBLE TRAGEDY AT OTAKI. FATHER AND DAUGHTER DEAD, Otaki was the scene of a double tragedy on Thursday night, when a man named Thomas Wl’Fall and bis daughter Olive were round dead in their home —the daughter stabbed in two places, and the father with Ids throat cut, M’Fall was a widower with four daughters, of whom Olive was the second. The eldest daughter, Mrs Wylie, was staying in the house at the time, with her two children. It appears that the father about 9 o’clock quarrelled with the daughter Olive, a heated argument took place, it is reported, over a letter which he demanded and she refused to surrender.

Then a loud cry was hoard from the girl: “Oh, father, you have stabbed mo!” and immediately afterwards the noise of a heavy fall. The married daughter hurried to the scene, and found both her father and sister on the point of death. When shortly afterwards the local police officer, Constable Salherley. came on the scene, he found both father and daughter dead, the daughter lying at the entrance to her bedroom and the father at the door of Ids. A hatchers knife and a razor appear to have been the hist rumen 15,,0f the double tragedy. The deceased Thomas M’Fall was an old and highly-respected resident of the Otaki district, and of recent years came to live in the town, being employed as a plumber. He leaves a family of seven, with one .married daughter. An inquest is to be held at Otaki.

The Chronicle furnishes the following details: —■ Details of the tragedy show it to have been a deliberate and revolting criine. The M’Falls lived in a house in Mill Hoad, near Iho railway station, and the household on the evening of the affair consisted of Thomas Me Fa 11 and his family, consisting of the young woman Olive, another daughter, and two little hoy.-', Mrs Wylie (a married daiigh(er) and her (wo children. Most of (hem had retired to rest about nine o’clock, hut M’Fall was still up. Olive M’Fall was preparing for bed in one ot the front rooms, where she was lo sleep with Mrs Wylie, when her father called out, "You are not going to bed vet, are you?” Site went to the door', and MeFall said, ‘‘What did yon write that letter for?” He then stabbed her, with a knife he had in his hand. The girl exclaimed, “0, dad, von have killed me!" and fell unconscious. The other inmates of the house were roused by the altercation, and one of tlie children, lookllE ( ,ut of the door of a bedroom, saw M’Fall going down the passage, and saw him fall to the lloor. The neighbours were roused, and medical aid and the police sent for. Constable Salherley got a call jnst aTter 0 o’clock, and went: at-once to (he house. He found Olive M’Fall, in her nightdress, lying in the door-v.-ay of her room. Examination revealed two terrible wounds, one m (he region of the heart, and the other in the back between the shoulders. She was quite dead. Farther down the passage, lying across the Ihresliold of a room, lay the lather, bis throat cut, the wound completely severing the jugular vein. The i„,dy was fullv dressed with the exception of the coat. The premises presented a terrible spectacle, grim evidence of the tragedy being bespattered all over Hie walls and door. Further search revealed a bloodsi aim'd razor lying near the man’s bodv, and a butcher’s knife bearing signs of recent use was also found. T-n effort had been made to cleanse (he latter weapon after it had served its awful purpose. It is understood that serious allegations hud been made against, deceased involving his relations with one of his daughters, and that the letter referred to by him was a communication sent to the police by the murdered daughter. M’Fall’s wife was a victim ol the influenza epidemic in HUS. The shocking crime has caused a profound sensation there . The inquest will be held to-day (Saturday).