SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2829, 3 January 1925, Page 3

SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

+ FATHER murders his son. Ashburton. January 2. A boy named Frederick Tyson Hodgson, who was spending the holidays with his parents at Mr Robert J. Johnston’s residence, at Dromore, was sleeping in the same bed as his father, they being the only occupants of the room. At 10.30 yesterday Hodgson went into his wife’s room and made statements resulting in the boy being found on the bed being found on the bed with his with"his throat cut, practically from ear to ear. Hodgson, who is aged about 40, had lived here since childhood, deceased being, the eldest of three sons. Accused was charged and remanded till January 9th. Later. The motive for the tragedy is a mystery, Hodgson was known as being devoted to Ids family, being specially fond of the eldest boy. When Hodgson went to his wife’s room he said: “1 have killed Freddie.” , On entering the boy s room Mis Hodgson saw the body doubled up, as though he had been struggling. After awakening the household, Mrs Hodgson rushed to a wlmre occupied by a farm worker, .las Maxwell, saying: “Tyson has killed FredMax well took charge of Hodgson at the wlmre. He says accused was fairly quiet, but kept muttering to himself: “I killed Freddie, I went along and told Maud (his wife). Didn’t I do right?” Hodgson was quite sober, hut, Maxwell says he appeared to be demented at the time. Mrs Johnston is a sister of Mrs Hodgson. ,