SENSATIONAL TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 80, 21 August 1912, Page 5

SENSATIONAL TRAGEDY.

WHOLESALE HOLOCAUST. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, August 19. Captain Hicks Murray, an Eastbourne resident, late of the Gordon Highlanders, after having wounded his wife and killed two of his children and then killed a woman who was in the house, and a third child, set fire to the house, and committed suicide. The corpses of the five killed were badly charred, but the -widow was rescued alive.

Further particulars of the Eastbourne murders state that Murray was formerly in the Scots Greys, and suffered from ■unstroke in India. He was latterly with the Territorials at Eastbourne. He suffered from insomnia, and was sometimes violent to his wife. The latter 6tates that she, with the children, arrived on Sunday night, and was not aware that anybody but her husband and themselves were in the house. She is unable to account for the presence of the dead woman and the third child. Murray left a note stating that he was ruined, adding that he killed his dependents, as he desired th.it all should be in one grave. It appears that the bodies were placed in a line and the room saturated with oil. A DOUBLE LIFE. Received 21, 11.15 p.m. London. August 20. The dead woman was Murray's wife and a sister of the wounded woman. Murray was a non-commissioned officer, and had families to both women. He maintained two establishments.