DAUGHTER SHOOTS HER FATHER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81917, 26 January 1907, Page 4

DAUGHTER SHOOTS HER FATHER.

TRAGEDY ON THE EVE OF HER WEDDING. PIEA OF CRUELTY. Now York, December 11. The Rov. J. G. McAtee, a promid 'enta retired Lutheran clergyman, six-ty-eight years of age, was shot to-day by her daughter May. a twenty-three year-old graduate of Vassal- College. The daughter was arrested, and stated that for many years her father, who drauk heavily, had treated her and her mother with great cruelty. Latterly he had become particularly violent owing to her engagement to Mr Robert Pierce, to whom she was to have been married to morrow. Her father had refused to give her money for her trousseau, and to-day she heard liini speaking loii liy to liiT mother about h■-l- wedding ill a room downstairs. Then she heard Uer mother scream for help. "The memory of years of abuso deprived; me of reason," she told the police. "I took my revolver down stairs and saw my father beating my mother with a poker. I asked him to desist, but he only beat her harder.

'■Then I lost control of myself, and took deliberate aim at his head, and fired four times."

The minister staggered out into the street, where ho fell, and was taken to the hospital. Two bullets were extracted from his head and the doctors state that iie may recover. A crowd attended the court this afternoonj and displayed great sympathy for the daughter. Mr Pierce, who was called as a witness, admitted buying the revolver for Miss MeAtee. and related many instances of her father's brutality. He declared that he would marry Miss McAtce to morrow as arranged if lis had to attend the qercmony in the prison.

T'ne magistrate announced tha! Miss McAfee would I>e allowed bail uf £IOOO, whereupon there was a friendly struggle by many people hi court to be allowed to guarantee the amount. The Rev. J. C. McAtce is a man of considerable means, and has travelled a good deal in Europe and Palestine. He was minister in many fashionable parishes.