Two Dead, After Quarrel

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 846, 14 December 1929, Page 22

Two Dead, After Quarrel

Victorian Farm Tragedy

HT Cambacanya, near Hopetoun, Victoria, William McLaren, a farmer, after murdering Miss Dorothy Brown, went into a wool-shed on his property and shot himself. For three years the girl and McLaren had been keeping company, but they quarrelled about six months ago, and the girl refused to have anything to do with him. About 10 o’clock on the evening of the tragedy the girl’s parents went to bed, and Miss Brown made a cup of cocoa for them, and also for a man named G. Smith, who was in the house. After taking the cocoa to her parents she returned for some water, and as she was walking along the passage the occupants of the house were startled by the report of a gun. Shot Missed Murderer The girl’s father came out with a gun, which Smith immediately grabbed from him, saying, “I will get him.”

Mr. Brown saw his daughter lying on the ground and carried her into the living-room. Seeing McLaren through the lattice work. Smith fired a shot, hut it missed the man. On the arrival of police an armed party went out in search of McLaren His house was surrounded. The door had to be forced open, but McLares was not there. .Letters Found Several letters were discovered ad dressed to Constable Bradbury, and one to his sister, asking her not to worry over him, as he said, "h« wsi taking his dear girl away with him to a better place.” Later, Constable McVicar found McLaren dead in the wool-shed with* double-barrelled gun lying across his legs. His clothing was soaking wet. and he had evidently attempted to drown himself in a dam near by prior to shooting himself.