WOMAN KILLED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 347, 7 October 1932, Page 5

WOMAN KILLED

(Press. Assn.-

" - Ji i.1" . i . . C y elderly man wounds housekeererwith:" V •' tpmahawk;v' « ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE

— By Telegraph— poppightj.

^.uckjand, Thursday. A frenzied attack with a tomahawk on ' hfs housekeeper, Miss Emijy Chappell, was made this mormng by George Macfarlane, a man 80 years of age, in his home at Mount ftoyal Avenue,"Mount Albert. He suhsequently attempted to commit suicide by cutting his - throat 'with a razor. ' Both he and Miss Chappell were taken to the, ! hospital in a serious condition, Macfarlane had recently suffered an attacic of rheumatic fever and had been under medical attehtion. Just over two weeks ago a trained nurse, Miss 'Greta Howard, was called in, and last evening she was relieved for fright duty 'ty' an'otjier |irame4d nurse, Miss Begbie, wlxo lived next idoor. :i ' The 'fwo nurses were conferring about the patient, just after 7 o'clo'ck this morning, when they heard screams. They rushed to the kitchen and found Macfarlane attacking Miss Chappell with a tomahawk. Miss -Howard wrested the weapon from Macfarlane, and with the assistance of Mr. S. I. Beeson, a neighbour, whp had also been attracffed by the screams, put him hack into his room. Wound In Throat While the nurses were attending to the injured woman, who had several gashes in her head, Macfarlane apparently left his room and'secured a razor from the bathroom. When Mr. Beeson who had been summonjng a doctor by telephone from Macfarlane's house, entei'ed the bedroom again, he found Macfarlane standing there with a wound in his throat. Respected by his rieighbours, Mcfarlane has lived iri Mount Royal Avenue for eight or nine years. He was f ormerly a native interpreter in Greytown. He is a man over 6ft in height, and active, despite his advanced years. He is a keen gafdener. Miss Chappell, whose home is in Williamsom Avenue, Grey Lynn, had been with Macfarlane as housekeeper for just on 12 months. She is small in stature and is about 45 years old. Dr. J. A. Paterson, of Mount Albert, attended the two injured people, and they were taken to the Auckland Hospital by ambulance.