SAD END OF AN ELOPEMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2315, 18 August 1880, Page 2

SAD END OF AN ELOPEMENT.

SECOND EDITION

[l3y Tklkguai’h.]

AVeluxotox, August IS. Matthew Henderson, who eloped from Christchurch, last week, leaving a wife and family behind him, has met with a very sad fate. Henderson was arrested in tho first instance for wife desertion, but subsequently as no warrant but only a telegram bad arrived, bo was ordered to bo liberated. The same afternoon warrants were received charging biin with embezzlement and larceny as a bailee. On those charges he was remanded till to-day, bail being accepted for bis appearance. On the court opening, and his name being called, ho failed to put in appearance, and on the application of the police a warrant for his arrest was granted. Tho detective, armed with the warrant, went to the Empire Hotel! where Henderson and the woman with whom he eloped were staying. The. door of the room where they were, supposed to be, was found to be locked, and on breaking it open a shocking sight presented itself. Henderson and a young woman named Bligh (supposed to be the daughter of & stonemason in Christchurch) were lying on a bed apparently lifeless. It was ascertained that they had taken strychnine, and emetics were applied, bat in tho case of Henderson without avail, for he died iu a few minutes. The young woman is still alive, but is in a uxost critical condition.