A SINGULAR STORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1332, 25 April 1885, Page 3

A SINGULAR STORY.

A man named Parks, living on Shaw Island, in the San Juan Arobipelago, was discovered to be crazy. One of his friends, thinking to assist and look out for him, when the maniac came to the door with a rifle, and Bhot the visitor through the body, killing him instantly. Xhe other inhabitants of the island, 111 in number, then sent for the county sheriff, and on his arrival proceeded in a body to the house to try and capture the man. The house, whioh is built of logs, was found to be fastened up, and loopholes for shoot* ing through made in the walls, but nothing was seen of the crazy man. A young man named Wilson went to the door, but just as he was about to open it Parks sprang out and shot him in the head, blowing out his brains. The other men, finding he could not be taken alive, procured a large bundle of hay, saturated it with kerosene, and rolling it alongside the house set lire to it. The house was burned to the ground, and its oooupant perished in the flames. After the fire his remains were found, and it was discovered that he had received a bullet wound in his head. It is supposed he killed himself, rather than try to escape from the house and be captured. Parks was unmarried, and lived alone, some distance from any habitation.