DUNEDIN.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3501, 15 March 1880, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

Another Dunedin Tragedy.

Murder of a Family.

Last night.

No clue to tbo Perpetrators.

A shocking tragedy occurred in Great. Cumberland street this morning. A man named John Murray Dewar, alias Grant, a butcher, was discovered dead in his house, with several wounds in his head evidently inflicted with an axe. His wife was also found similarly wounded, and in an unconscious state was removed to the Hospital, and but faint hopes are entertained for her recovery. A child under two years was found dead in bed near his father, haviog evidently been suffocated. The bed was on fire, and underneath was a lighted candle. It is believei an attempt was made to murder the whole family. The police have no clue of the perpetrators.

Another Account,

One of the most horrible tragedies which has ever occurred here happened this morning in Cumberland street, when James Murray Dewar, alias Grant, a butcher, in the employ of Mr Dornwell of George street, was found.dead. His wife injured almost beyond hope of recovery, his child suffocated, and the bedroom on fire, a lighted caudle having been placed under the bed. Deceased is a mm tg«d

bout thirty years, and has been in tins olony nearly twenty-two years. His roper name was Dewar, but his mother, ?ho resides in the house just behind bis, avirig re-married a carpenter named Jrant,* headopted his step father's name.

Later.

Mrs Grant died early this morning.

A meeting of about 500 of unemployed resolved not to accept less than 7s per day, and decided to forward a petition to Government expressing unwillingness to accept the terms offered.

Latest.

This day. •

It is not known whether the late trngedy was committed by a stranger or either of the Grants. The wounds on Grant's head and those on his wife appear to the unprofessional eye to negative the theory that they were self-inflicted, and there is the additional circumstance vouched for by many peoplo who knew the couple intimately, that they lived very happy lives. The strangest. part of the whole affair is that none of the neighbors—some of whom lived about twelve feet from Grant's house—heard the slightest noise, and were-first awakened by an alarm of fire, by the milkman who supplies the house with milk, and who was the first to give the alarm. There is every reason to believe the affair is the result of a brutal murder, and that the house was set fire to to conceal the crime. All the wounds of Grant and his wife were on the head, were apparently inflicted by an ordinary American axe which was found on the bed covered with blood.