FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5817, 20 November 1879, Page 2

FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

A terrible tragedy was enacted yesterday between 11 and 12 o’clock, on Wellingtonterrace. A young man named Clarence Miller, aged about 19 years, murdered his father and mother, and then killed himself by cutting his throat. It appears that Clarence Miller went to Dr. France’s residence at 10.30 for some medicine for his father, who was ill in bed. On his return, after about half-an-hour’s absence, the medicine was administered by the servant, Theresa Kooney, after which Mr. Miller said he would have a sleep, and would not require her again for some hours. The girl then went into the kitchen, where she saw Clarence, and told him that his father was having a sleep, and was not to be disturbed. The youth told her to get about her work, whereupon she went up to the lawn for some clothes to iron. She was only absent about a quarter of an hour, and on her return she saw Clarence Miller standing at the door, sawing away at his throat with a carv-ing-knife, the blood spurting out, and falling over his shirt. The girl at once ran across the street to Mrs. Gavin’s and gave the alarm, but it was not till the doctor had arrived that she knew the parents of Clarence were dead. Dr. Kesteveu was the first to arrive, followed almost immediately by Dr. Mirbaoh. Drs. Collins, Grace, and France were also in attendance shortly afterwards. Upon the alarm being first given, those who visited the house found young Clarence lying at the back or scullery door, life being quite extinct. A smell of burning attracted them to the bedroom, and there Mr. Miller was found lying in bed with his throat cut and his head very much knocked about. A broken gun was on the floor, aud the bedclothes were smouldering as if from the discharge of the gun. In a passage leading to the kitchen Mrs. Miller was found quite dead, her throat being also cut. A scuttle of coals was lying scattered near her, as if she had been carrying them when attacked. The girl Theresa Kooney states that while away getting the clothes she did not hear any sound as of firing a gun, and as there are no gunshot wounds about Mr, Miller's body, the presumption is that the guu only contained a blank charge. Young Miller must have first discharged the gun at his father, then battered him about the head with the guu uutil it was broken, aud finished by cutting his father’s throat. He then appears to have attacked and killed his mother in the passage, finishing up by taking his own life at the back door. Ha had been seen by the servant to load the gun on the previous day, and in answer to her inquiry he said he was going to shoot a cat. The girl did not notice anything strange in his manner when he spoke to her just before the fatal deed was committed. ' The statement of Dr. Mirbaeh was to the effect that he had been called in at about noon, that on arriving at the house he found Mr. Miller in bed, injured as described above. The sheet was burnt as if a gun had been discharged close to it, and the stock of a gun was on the foot of the bed, the barrel being on the floor, broken across the centre, as if by inflicting a blow with it. There was blood and hair on the stock. The cut in Mr. Miller’s throat was on the right side, just under the ear, and was a deep one, penetrating to the vert brse. The body of Mrs. Miller lay across the door leading from the hall to the kitchen, and that of young ’ Clarence was at the back door. Mr. Edward Miller was 52 years of age, and was employed in the Treasury. He was formerly manager of the Wellington branchy of the Bank of New South Wales. His wife, Fanny, was 60 years of age. They arrived in the colony with their family in December, 1853, in the ship Carnatic, landing at Otago. Mr, Miller was, we believe, in partnership with a Mr. Wright, as a sheep farmer, some time previous to his being appointed manager of the New South Wales branch Bank. The perpetrator of the tragedy was apprenticed to MriFi. w. Mills, but had been at home for a few days in consequence of having received some injurv to his thumb. The horrible deed is naturally enough attributed to insanity, and it«is known that a brother of Clarence Miller’s committed suicide some months ago. It is said that while in conversation with a friend a few days ago Clarence, speaking of his brother’s death, said there was no one knew what would be the end of it. He was generally of a cheerful disposition, but he was occasionally liable to fits of frenzy._ It is probable that the recent suicide on Lewisvilleterrace may have so excited his brain as to lead him to the committal of this deed. A rumor to the effect that it was young Miller who attempted to hang himself on the reclaimed land on Tuesday night is, wc believe, unfounded. , Four sons of Mr. Miller’s are yefc living, and of these one (Edward) is in Melbourne, another (Sydney) is in Launceston, a third is in Zululand, while the fourth, the youngest, is in this city. The inquest will be Held before X)r. Johnston at the residence of the deceased, Wellington terrace, at 11 o’clock this morning.