A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 128, 21 November 1911, Page 5

A FEARFUL TRAGEDY.

MOTHER AXD FIVE CHILDREX MURDERED. TELEPHOXE WIRES OUT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Brisbane, Xovember 20. A fearful tragedy took place near Alligator Creek, between Maekay and Blane Creek, some time on Friday. The white wife of a Chinese farmer named Ching and her family of five children were murdered in most brutal fashion. Ching went to Blane Creek on business. and on returning found the bodies of his wife, his daughter Maud aged 17, a boy of five, and a baby girl together in the sitting-room. The mother was shot in the neck and horribly mutilated; Maud was also shot in the neck; the other had their heads smashed in. Search revealed the bodies of the other children—Teddy, aged 10. and Dolly, aged eight—three-quarters of a mile from the house. It is supposed that they were seen to return from school bv the murderer and enticed away and shot. Their schoolbags were found on the kitchen table. The bodies in the house had been huddled together and covered with a tablecloth and a table placed on top. Ching state-, that he left a Cingal OSP. evidently a servant, at home when he went to the township. Returning, he found the hou-e locked, and thought the family was visiting neighhnr-. He had tea with the Cingalese in the kitchen. which \va< separate,] f r ,. m the house, nnd then went to a neighbor's. Failing to find his family, he became alarmed ami returned and searched the lmu=e with the Cingalese, and made the terrible di-covery. When he tried to communicate with town he found the telephone wires cut. probably by the murderer. The police expect to make an arrest.