MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1563, 30 September 1886, Page 3

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Msa*ouiiNE, Sept. 20. Shortly after four o’clock this afternoon a terrible tragedy toek place in Elizabeth street, by which a hitherto attached young couple named Williams lost their lives, the exciting canse being jealousy. The scene of the ghastly affair was a little shop between Flinders Lane and Flinders street, occupied for years by Henry Holder, who is at present on a vieit co Europe. Meantime the business is carried o»i by his aisler, Mrs Ludwig, who with her daughter, Ellen, resided on the premises. About 11 months ago the •laughter, then about 25, was married to Wno. Williams, a young man, thirty years nf age, and the pair lived very amicably. The last few days Williams bad been drinking heavily, and had a very peculiar manner, but no suspicion was entertained that he was at all dangerous. Apparently the "unhappy man had, however, conceived some monstrous ideas respecting hie wife, and shortly before four this afternoon he sent out his shop assistant with a letter to one of his friends, which has since been found to contain abominable charges against his wife. The assistant being out of the way, Williams then proceeded upstairs, where the unsuspecting wife was reading ■to her mother, Mrs Ludwig. He had one band under his apron, and his wife apparently thinking it held something he intended to give her, said “ What’s that, Bill 1 ” Without uttering a word the maniac strode up to his wife and plunged a long aharp carving knife into her neck. Mrs Williams fell on the floor, where he again attacked her, nearly severing her head from her body. Then, most remarkable to relate, Mrs Williams •prang to her feet, reached the door, and ran downstairs, at the foot of which she fell dead in a poo* of her own blood. Her poor mother remained paralysed with horror and astonishment after seeing the attack on her daughter, and the murderer after sitting a moment in a chair before his mother-in-law, walked to the door and drew the knife across his own throat, falling down on a piece of carpet near the doorway. Dr. Fergusgnn and Constable Dwyer, attracted by the terrible screams of the bereaved mother, rushed into the shop and found Mrs Williams dead at the foot of the stairs and Williams dead at the top. Both bodies were conveyed to the Hospital, although life was extinct. The place is closed up and is in charge of the police. The room upstairs is fearfully bespattered with blood, and altogether the scene is a horrible and ghast'y one. Ever since the dreadful occurrence the spot has been besieged by hundreds of people, who, however, ore refused admission. There was no foundation for Williams’ jealousy. It is alleged the pair were out on Sunday evening enjoying themselves.