Shocking Murder and Suicide.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4526, 7 July 1883, Page 2

Shocking Murder and Suicide.

(Pas Pbkss Association.)

Dunedin, Yesterday

Shortly after 6 o'clock yesterday evening, the residents of Manor Place were startled with the intelligence that a murder and suicide had been committed in the locality. It seems that at about that hour Mr Donald Cargill and his brother whilst conversing at the corner of Lees street, had their attention attracted by a flickering light some 50 yards up Manor Place. Suddenly they heard a loud report as of the firing of some explosive material. flurrying through the street to the spot where the sound came [ from, they were horrified by finding a man's body hanging over a fence alongside the street line, and t c body of a female lying prostrate at. the man's feet. Both bodies were headless, the pavement being strewed with brains and covered with , blood. The sight was sickening beyond description. The bodies were removed to the morgue by Constable Parker. On enquiry it was found the victim of this terrible tragedy, was Mrs Stephenson, and that the murderer was her husband, Geo. Timothy stephenson. Mrs Stephenson is well known in Dunedin. She, for some time post, has occupied the position of head milliner at Messrs Saunders, Mcßeath and Cos. She was a daughter of Mr Stenhouse, o£ Maitland, and has been separated some time from her husband, who has quite recently been engaged as groom for Messrs Campbell, Crust, and Co. The parties, as is well known, have been on bad terms for some time, and Stephen* son, through being denied access to his children, has been known to entertain feelings of revenge towards the unfortunate woman and her parents. In May last he was charged at the instance of Mr Stenhouse, at the City Police Court, with threatening conduct, and was then bound over. It is said that he has persistently dogged the footsteps of his wife for weeks. It is surmised that this evening he followed her home from her place of bosraess, and overtook her in Manor Pfate. Of course what transpired at their meeting can never be known, as none were near at the time. It is believed that dynamite was the explosive substance used.... The affair has created the greatest excitement in the neighbourhood.