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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 17, 18 January 1876, Page 4

There is something horrible in the following Btory as told by " Atticus," in the Melbourne LeaderlOn the morning of New Years' Day, Patrick Land left his house to go to the sports at : Sandhurst, several miles away, return--ing home at midnight. He left behind ; him his wife, two days confined, and of course ill in bed with the newly-born infant, another infant of eighteen months' old, and a third of .three years. He also left behind him a log fire burning in the hut, but he cautioned the children (the poor little infants of 18 months and three years) not to go near it. When Patrick Land returned at midnight, after his days diversion, he found his house burned to the ground, and his two day's old infant with it, ; while " his wife," to quote the report, ' "and the two other children, terror! stricken, were cowering near the embers I more dead, than alive, and the poor; woman was raving deliriously." The ; three-year-old child is since dead, and ! the mother and the other infant are ■ despaired of. The family being dis- ! posed of, the question arises as to what i is to be done with Patrick Land. For I a crime so new, so unnatural, so horri- ; ble, there is no punishment that could : be considered too great. It chills one's blood to think of the scene in that lonely farm-house, and the husband disporting himself from morning to i midnight miles away.