A MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 10 February 1915, Page 5

A MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY.

WOMAN FOUND SHOT. Auckland, Last Night. News has just been received of what appears to have been a murderous attack on the young wife of a sheepfarmer at Onewhero, 50 miles south of Auckland. The woman (Edith Emma Kcals), was brought into the Auckland Hospital this morning in a critical condition, and an operation is no\v being performed for the removal of a bullet from her head. '

The woman is 31 years of age, and resided with lier husband and lady help (Miss Hunter), and three children on ft sheep farm seven miles from Onewhero, in rough country, the nearest neighbour being a mile away. Leslie Keals, the husband, left the house early yesterday morning to go droving, intending to oe absent all. night, and nothing untoward happened during the day. The family retired ftt night as usual, and early tliia morning Miss Hunter went to Mrs Keals' room, and was horrified to find her lying unconscious on her bed, which -was bloodstained. She was bleeding from a bullet wound in her head, and her head and face, were also marked heavily as if by blows from a piece of wood, and a piece of wood bearing bloodstains was afterwards found in the room.

The two children, a girl aged four ami a boy aged two, were playing about in the room, but of an infant live weeks olil which had been in bed with Mrs Keals, no trace has yet been found. Miss Hunter gave tlie alarm, and police and 'medical ai-tiistance were summoned.

The whole all'air has many mysterious features. Mrs Keals. with her infant and little hoy, occupied one room, and the litle girl occupied the-next, room, Miss Hunter's room being beyond that, and none of them appear to have heard anything during the night. None of the neighbours were able to throw any light on the occurrence.

The first the husband heard of the tragedy was when a messenger met linn driving eatle near Suakau, some fourteen miles .from home, to which he was returning.

Interviewed to-night, Keals stated that lie was absolutely unable to form any theory to account for the attack on his wife and the mysterious disappearance of the baby. They lived on amicable terms with their neighbours, and had no enemies who would contemplate such a deed. A number of detectives., are now in the district making enquiries;