SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT WEST EYRETON.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2763, 31 January 1882, Page 2

SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT WEST EYRETON.

A MOTHER AND SIX CHILDREN BUENED TO DEATH. »■ — ; — (Per Press Association.) Christchurch, Jan. 30. Yesterday morning a most painful catastrophe happened at West Ey reton, by which a farmer named Henry Simpson, who has resided there for some time, and is respected as a most hardworking industrious man, was deprived of his whole family. The harvest being in full swing, Simpson, who had reaped his own crop, was desirous of assisting his neighbors, for which purpose he rose early and had his breakfast. His wife got up at the same time to prepare the meal, and having seen him off it would seem that she retired to rest again. At any rate nothing further was known as to what happened till. Mr J. Sellars, foreman platelayer, who was on the line between WestEyreton and Swananoa,saw a house burning, and passing Simpson, told him .that it must be his bouse. Simpson immediately returned, reaching the house mahout 9.30 a.ra., when he found it a complete wreck. He looked about for bis wife and children, and thought that they had gone somewhere, and remained in this expectation for- some time. The fire was still burning at 10 a.m., when other neighbors came round, and the police at Oxford being informal! of the fire, Sergeant McDonald proceeded to the; site and was met by Constable Johnston from Kaiapoi. In the meantime the truth had dawned bn Simpson and the neighbors, and the poor man was in a great state of agony. The seargent and constable at once began to examine the ashes for some traces of the'family, and having found the position of the bedsteady they were hot long in discovering the charred remains of the wife and one of the children. The body of the woman, who was 28 years of age, was first found. The limbs wore completely burnt from the trunk, the bead being totally destroyed, and all the children were in a similar stale, their bodies being reduced to a. very small size, with the exception of a baby abont three months old, whose body was not so much charred, but the head, hands, and feet were shrivelled up with the heat. The house consisted of five rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs, besides a lean-to, and the children were asleep in one of the upstairs rooms when Simp son left home in the morning. The room in which Simpson, his wife and the baby slept was immediately below this one; thus the discovery of the bodies in . in nearly one position may be accounted for. To show.to what a state the bodies had heed reduced, the whole seven when i recovered from the ashes were laid on a sack andcoveTed over with another.

, The following are: the names of the deceased, viz—Margaret, aged 28, the mother; Matilda,' ■7 ’ years ; Thomas John 54; Sarah, 44; Anne Jane, 2J; William, 1|; Henry, 3 months. - : It is supposed, when Simpson left home in company with some two or three other men who were working with, him, that Mrs Simpson returned to her bedroom, and that meanwhile, the fire in the kitchen grate blew out of it, and set fire to the kitchen and staircase. It is evident, from the position of the bodies, that the children were all burnt in their beds, and that Mrs Simpson must have been burnt in her own room while she was shielding her baby from the devouring flames, as the baby’s body and her own breasts are the least charred by the fire, and the baby was found lying near to her. The house was insured in the London and Liverpool, and Globe Insurance Company for £IOO, and £25 on the furniture. It was a new building and Simpson had been improving it constantly since .its erection. There is a general feeling of sympathy fpr Simpson, on his very severe bereavement. Ah inquest will be held before Mr Whitefood at the Cast Hotel to morrow.