GHASTLY TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8097, 30 April 1906, Page 2

GHASTLY TRAGEDY

MAN SHOOTS HIS WIFE. DELIBERATE DAYLIGHT MUEDEB. WITNESSED BY MUEDEEED WOMAN'S SON. MUEDEEEE PERFECTLY CALM. FEB PBEBS ASSOCIATION. Palmbbston, April 28. Shortly after 1 o'elook to-day, Palmerston was horrified by the circulation of a report of another awful domestic tragedy that had taken plaee in the western part of the town. Just about five minutes past one a man dashed up to the poliee station and told Constable Fitzgibbons that a woman had shot herself, but being in a sta'e of high excitement he could afford no further information.

Sergeant Stagpoole at once proceeded to the spot, and found that a woman named Martha Knowles had been fatally shot in twe places by her busband, Win. Knowles, at one time a contractor in Palmerston, but lately a resident of Feilding. Mrs Knowles lived with her three little children near the intersection of West and Church streets.

The woman was found to be lying on hor back in a water table and just alongsido the path. There were two revolver shot wounds, one in her head close to the mouth, and ono in the left breast. The body was then removed to the morgue,

The perpetrator of tho outrage was found to be standing near the body in custody of Major Dunk, and he was removed to the lock-up. He was perfectly calm and cool and appeared but little affected by the consequences of his act, and offered no resistance, On him were found about 35 cartridges, which fitted a laree five chambered revolver with which the deed was done. The parties in the affair have frequently been before tho Magistrate's Court, Mrs Knowles siloing her husband for arrears of a maiutenance order.

Knowles came in from Fcilding by this morning's train in company with some frien is, Mr Hal ford being among the number. Knowles and a son of Halford's wont to tie Municipal Hall to view Holnian Hunt's picture. " The Light of tho World." After looking at it for a few minutes, young Halford turned round and found that Knowles had disappeared. The police state that Knowles wont t-> see his wife in Church street and that the couple were seen to come out of the house. They were heard, talking angrily together, and, after- going a short distance, they parted company, the woman walking alone.. Knowles was observed tp follow, hor down, 1 the path an.d soon, afterwards struck her ( a,ud throw her onto the road just by the kerbing. Ho was than seen to,deliberately pull a revolver from his pocket, place the muzzle against tho woman's clothtflg, and fire a shot through hot breast. A shot through, the head then followed.

1 Almost immediately the man turned, the weapon against himself, but the cartridgo evidently ian\mod, and the shot nussod fire, In, attempting to abkraot the firmly fixed oartridge, he bent part of the mechanism, and was unable to close the rovolver again,

The only actual witness b,{ the. t*agedy was decease's* SOU. njne. years of age, The hoy. says that as soon as iK'nowles. oame home, he showed the photograph of a women to, his. wife,, and asked hor if she wanted it. She said she didn't, whereupon he t<wo it I Up, and afterwards threw the ytecea i» the garden.

His, toother, who was dresß*d to • Out and do some work, then we»» , ,on to the verandah. Knowles &)' , her, and they remained taJSt*' some mihn+es-. They did! »*>» ;bo quarrelling, seined cross..

Accordmjio.b.litt' el) h,imnt*»hri»ot P W3MI „ I Mt [ O? her, ami: sw«." ■ I »ill slu.t yj i." He bent Jfrs Kv , n .| cs acl . o3S h{i hm and shot hor *w , e , MNgnmlr,, ; etetmel and tUc „ kid down or . t i le pat u, part | y in t i, e jwater chanr . e l, where tho stains of fresh bloo/.i mark the actual spotQi the ghastl y tragedy. On the arr ival of the police Knowles said," F f erc you Are If thig Ilad gone off" t'poiuting to the revolver) "I wtvaid not liavc troubled you." He was immediately secured and the revolver taken from him. Investi gation showed that the lock was brokou, and it was consequently put I out of gear. Two chambers were discharged, the remaining four still being loaded.

When Knowles saw his wife still lying on the path, he bent down and kissed her, remarking at the same time to those who kept him in close custody, that " she was a good wife to me. I liopo she is going to a better place than I am."

He was quite 000 l and collootcd, and told those who had hold of hira that they need not get oxcitcd. Ho was not going to run away. Tho short range at wliioh tho shots wore firod was shown by the fact Jthat the woman's clothing was singed and I blackened.

Kuowles' alias is W. A. It. Freeman. Ho served with the Sixth Continent.