TRAGEDY IN AN ART GALLERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 81, 1 May 1909, Page 3

TRAGEDY IN AN ART GALLERY.

A terrible tragedy was enacted recently in the National Gallery, London, a wealthy retired merchant shooting his wife and afterwards committing suicide. The victims are Mr. John Tempest Dawson and Mrs. Nancy O. Dawson, liis wife. T:lie couple are believed to be or American nationality. Mr. Dawson was seventy years of age, and his wife fiftyeight, lie was formerly a merchant ill a large way of business, but retired some thirty years ago. having amassed a considerable sum of money, and for the last ten years they have lived in a high-class boarding • house at Hove, Brighton. The cause of the tragedy seems to bo a simple one. Mr. Dawson had long been suffering from delusions that he wa.s the victim of gross charges made against Ihim in order to obtain blackmail. These delusions seem to have so worked upon his mind that he took the life of his wile and then his own life. The tragedy took place in No. 27 room of the gallery. At this time of year there are not many visitors to that part of the National Gallery, and, indeed, there were not more than twenty persons present in all the rooms.

Mr. and Mrs. Dawson entered the gallery at the entrance opposite Westminster Town Hall at about two o'clock. Nothing in their demeanour attracted attention, and they made their way up the stairs, staying here and there to look at the pictures, and at last made their way into No. 27 room. Here were two young ladies, Miss Sabine and Miss Gladman. They did not notice the newcomers particularly, save that thvy stopped before a portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson, when the gentleman took some papers out of his pocket and began to converse with the lady in low, but excited, tones.

Gradually the voices grew louder and louder, and t'Jiv two appeared to be quarrelling. The altercation caused Miss Sabine and Miss Gladman to turn their heads, when they were horrified to see the gentleman whip a revolver out of the pocket of his coat and fire at the lady. The first shot missed, but a second struck her full in the forehead. TO BE OUT OP IT ALL.

Th e n| an then placed the muzzle of the revolver to his right temple, fired again, and dropped dead by the side o't his wife.

The young Indies at once raised the alarm, and attendants rushed in from other parts of the building. A doctor was on the scene within a few minutes, and Mrs. Dawson, who was still alive, was removed to the Charing Cross Hospital, while Mr. Dawson's body was taken to the Horseferry Road mortuary. Mrs. Dawson Jay in the hospital in an unconscious state until about five o'clock, when she died.

In Mr. Dawson's pocket was found a long typewritten document addressed "To the coroner." It was enclosed in a wliite foolscap envelope, sealed at each end with a large red seal. The document consisted of several sheets and was made up of rambling, incoherent statements and charges against certain persons oi having blackmailed him. It also intimated that he was not able to stand the worry and trouble of this persecution any longer, and that he intended to terminate his own existence and that of his wife in order to be out oi it all. One of the reasons he gave for this was that the history had been spread abroad among his friends', whose minds had been poisoned against him, and who were, therefore, shunning him. The sister of a London doctor who had filled the position of companion to Mrs. Dawson for some years states that Mr. and Mrs. Dawson lived very happily together. _ But, according to her story, his delusions became more accentuated as time went on, and lately he had been heard to utter vague threats of what lie would do to put a stop to the vile accusations which he said were being brought against him.

A few weeks previous to the trugedv they went to Brighton and stayed n't Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar Square. ' There was nothing in their conduct or demeanour while staying there which would have led anyone to suppose that such a tragic ending to their stay in London was contemplated.

The revolver with which the tragedy was perpetrated was a five-cliamnerp.il one, and had been fullv loaded. Three chambers had been discharged when it was found.

Miss Sabine said: "We were looking at? the pictures, and we did not notice anybody else in the room particularly until we heard a conversation going on. T turned my Jicad and saw an old gentleman moving a paper about in an excited manner and talking 'to a lady who ttnod near him.

"Wo could not catch , v hat he was saying, and. indeed, ivc had no time to listen, for he nulled a revolver out 01 his pocket and lired two shots at the lady and then pressed the revolver against his forehead and tired again." When Mr. and Mrs. Dawson loft Jirifihton they intended to go abroad, as was their custom at that time ol year. On file Wednesday morning their landlady received a message to say that I hey had decided to return to dinner at five o'clock, but this was cancelled subsequently.