TRAGEDY AT TOPHOUSE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2722, 9 October 1894, Page 3

TRAGEDY AT TOPHOUSE.

A shocking tragedy occurred at Tophouse, near Nelson, on Thursday evening and Friday morning, when a man named Bateman shot a man named John Lane, and a telegraphist named Wallis, and afterwards committed suicide. Bateman, who was temporarily in charge of the accommodation house (during the absence of Mr and Mrs liongney at Blenheim), told Lane that Wallis wanted to see him on the Wairu > toad. Lane accompanied him up the road for about 200 yards, and Bateman then shot him in the head. At half-past eight o’clock in the evening Bateman went to the telegraph office and invited Wallis to go hare shooting. Wallis said that it was too dark, but Bateman said that he knew where to get hares, and that there was sufficient moonlight to see them. Wallis went away with Bateman, who shot him within 100 yards of the office. The murderer appears to have taken the cover off Wallis’ pony and placed it over his victims’ body, after which he returned to the accommodation house, where the governess was found. Tb® young lady went down to the office accompanied by the little girl, but Bateman followed her, and made her return, threatening to sho'-/ l her unless she retraced her steps. She, however, got away again, and she and Mrs Wallis locked themselves into the office It daylight Bateman was seen walking up and down in front of the accommodation house. During the morning Mr R, Kerr and another settler arrived on the scene, and went towards the accommodation house, but being threatened they went back to the office. At about 2 o’clock in the afternoon a report was heard and ii was found that Bateman had shot himself. A letter was written by Bateman on Sunday last bidding his sister farewell, and it is evident the deed was premeditated. ll is thought that he was jealous of Lane, and that he killed Wallis in order to prevent the news of the murder being wired away. There is also reason to belive that ho contemplated, killing Mrs Wallis, ai'omeone was hoard trying the doors of the office. Wallis was 33 years of ago, and was in charge of the telegraph station and post office. He also acted as line repairer.

LATER NEWS. An inquest on the bodies of John Stephen Lane and William Henry Wallis was held at Foxhill on Saturday night. Constables Knapp and Phair deposed to reaching Tophouse about six o’clock on Ffiday evening, and finding the body of William Bateman lying on the verandah of the accomodation house, and about two hundred yards on the Wairau side of the house the body of Lane, which had been dragged from the centre of the road to behind a log at the side. The body of Wallis, telegraphist, was found lying face downward in a paddock just at the back of the telegraph station. Both men had been shot from behind, and at such close quarters that they were blackened by the powder. The charge entered Wallis behind the right ear, and Lane behind the left. From the story narrated, it appeared that Bateman had induced Lane to walk up the road and that he was in slippers. He then went to Wallis and asked him to accompany him hare shooting. Wallis complied, but was shot close to his own house. Both victims were shot somewhere about eight o’clock on Thursday evening, and were lying a quarter of a mile apart. Wallis had been covered with a horsecloth that belonged to the accommodation house. He had fallen with his gun under him. It was a breechloader, single barrel, and contained a full cartridge. The constables could find nothing to indicate a motive for the crime. The following letters were /ound at the accommodation house after the tragedy ; “ Tophouse, Sept. 30,1894. “ To Mrs M’Leod.

“ Dear Sister, —Just few lines for the last. I may be dead when you get this ; but never mind; don’t weep for me, for I’m tired of this world. I am only a trouble to myself and everyone else. I am verry sorry for you and the misfortune that Jim met with. When lam gone and passed away pray for me and plant a flower on my grave. lam with Louie (Mrs Loughney, another sister). She looks down on me like a dog. But never mind they will miss me. If you see mother you might give my love to her, and tell her that I will meet her in the next world, where there is no more trouble and worry. 1 did not get your letter for weeks after you wrote. I was very sorry but could not help you at the time. If I had got it a week or so sooner I could have sent you a few pounds. I have no more to say. Give my love to all the children and Jim and self. 1 may see you before you get this. If not, good-bye for ever in this world.—Your brother, W. Bateman,” There was also found in Loughney’s diary, and evidently intended for him, the letter following;— “ Tophouse, Oct. 4,1894.

“ Dear Nat.—Just a few lines for the last. 1 went to Wakefield and saw Mac. 1 had a good talk with him. I told him 1 was not long for this world, but he would not believe me. Well, I made up my mind to shoot all but the children. Good-bye.—W. Bateman.” The police deposed that a mark on Bateman’s bare big toe indicated that he pulled the trigger therewith. Close to him was a bottle with some whisky in it, another that had contained rum, a glass, and a jug of water. Miss Wylie, governess at Loughney’s, and three of their children, got down to the telegraph office on Friday morning, and were there when assistance arrived.

A swagger named Nicholls, a deaf young man, obtained a shake down at the accomodation-house on Thursday night. Lane consented to his staying there, and he did some work and turned in later. Lane and Bateman both came where he was, and later on Bateman came back and offered him a bottle. Nicholls asked what it was, and at last understood it was rum. When he said he was a teetotaller Bateman gave a grunt and walked away as though sober, but he seemed muddled. Next morning Nicholls saw Bateman sitting on a log, with a gun, leaning against it. He went to the house to see Lane and knocked, but no one was about. He then spoke to Bateman, asking where Lane was, and for reply Bateman pointed to the bush. He then asked Bateman what he shot last night, but received no reply. After that he went to the telegraph office to ask for a direction, but though he knocked back and front there was no one there. He went on to the road and subsequently met the police, who questioned him. Mrs Wallia was called, but her friends had taken her to town, and a telegram was received stating that she had fainted on the Way. Miss Wyllfe was not brought down. The jury expressed themselves satisfied to consider the verdict, and shortly returned the following:—“ After hearing the evidence given, we find that the two deceased, William Henry Wallis and J. S. Lane, came by their death by gun* shot wounds inflicted by one William Bateman.” They added :—“ We also think that had Miss Wylie and Mrs Wallis been present we should have had fuller particulars, but we do not think that anything further could have altered the verdict.” An inquest was then held on Bateman, before the same jury and they returned the verdictWe are of opinion that the deceased came by his death by a gun-shot wound, inflicted by himself whilst in an unsound state of mind.” There seems little doubt Bateman was jealous of Lane. He was in town on Thursday, professedly to see about a deg, to enable him to go mustering at Birch Hill, but it is thought his real object was to get some caps. The reason of his killing the telegraphist is difficult to conceive, but the suggestion is that he sought to prevent news of the other murder being sent away. During Thursday night he was threatening the girl Wylie, and sharpened a knife in her room; but one of the children, of whom he was fond, clung to the girl. She, with the children, escaped to the telegraph office in the morning, and one of the little boys in going there, found the body of Mr Wallis covered over. The two women were in dread of death, and Mrs Wallis had hidden a paper on which ' had written, If Miss Wylie , j found dead Bateman burned us.” The funerals of W*Ls and Laue to . day pro . together to the cemetery, the two men being buried in the same plot of ground side by side. The fnnerals were witnessed by a great number of spectators. The northern correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes :—Bateman was well known in North Canterbury and iu the Amuri district, ho having worked at various times on some of the stations, lie was a brother of Mrs Loughney, of the accommodation house. He occasionally acted in an eccentric manner, hut it was generally supposed to bo the effects of liquor.