MURDER AND SUICIDE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 60, 10 March 1916, Page 3

MURDER AND SUICIDE

TRAGEDY IN VICTORIA. WIFE ATTACKED BY HUSBAND. A terrible tragedy occurred at Sugarloaf Weir, Alexandra (Victoria), last week. Martin Jacob Tasmar, who last month was committed for trial oi a charge of attempted suicide, and was acquitted on Tuesday last, returned from Melbourne on Wednesday, and went straight out to the weir, where his wife and daughter condo ted a boardinghouse. He seemed cheerful and happy when passing through Alexandra. All went well till Saturday night, when an altercation arose. Tasmar alleged that his wife threatened she, would leave -him and live with another man About 2.30 a.m. on Sunday, John Garner, a boarder, who slept in a tent a few yards from the house, was aroused by screams. He ran into the house, where he found Tasmar standing over bis wife with a razor. The woman was covered with blood, and the floor was a shambi.es. Tasmar rushed at Garner with the razor and a knife, aui th*» latter, being unarmed, retreated, and called for assistance. The woman then crawled under a .bed. Tasmar dragged her cut, and again attacked her. When Garner returned with two other men the woman was dead, and Tasmar was hacking at his own throat with a razor.

Finally Tasmar was secured. The police were summoned from Alexandra and Darlingford, .and Dr Gocher went out from Alexandra. Tasmar was con veyed to Alexandra Cottage Hospital, where he died on the Monday. Some years ago Tasmar was kicked by a h''rse. and as a result he had a silver plate in the side of his head. Lately he had developed, symptoms of religious and homicidal mania.