Tragedy in Masterton.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10170, 21 February 1911, Page 5

Tragedy in Masterton.

FOUND SUBSEQUEN

A shocking tragedy occurred in Masterton at an early hour this morning, by which two children were seriously injured, and for the life of one of which the doctors despair. Shortly before one o'clock Mr A. Winzenberg, who resides at the top end of Essex Street, Ayas awakened from his sleep by loud and pitiful screams. He.got" out of bed and •went to the door, but could see nobody. The screams continued, and he ; then saw a pitiful little object covered in blood, rushing by the house.. ,

"GOME TO MOTHER!" The little fellow turned out to be "Jerry" Gardiner, a boy about ten years of age. He was in'his nightclothes, and was screaming at the top of his voice, "Come rto mother! Come to the house!" Mr Winzenberg ran over to the house opposite, which was occupied by Mrs Gardiner (a widow) and her two children. He was accompanied by Miss Gardiner, a relative.of Mrs Gardiner. The front door was open, and on entering the bedroom, where the gaslight was burning, A GRUESOME SPECTACLE met his gaze. Lying in the centre of a double bedstead-was a little girl, about twelve years of age, named Beryll, whose head was shockingly mutilated, and who was lying insensible in a pool of. b|ood. Mr Winzenberg ran to the house of. Mr Richard Brown and summoned Dr Cowio and .the police by telephone. He then returned to the scene of the tragedy, and took the weeping little boy/i'Jerry" to his own house, whore his wounds were bathed. THEj DOCTORS ARRIVE. Br Cowie soon arrived upon the ■scene, and was followed by Dr Archer Hosking, and ..a constable. ! It wajS dis-. payexeditfi^^ severe contusions abou°t the head and face. He was quite conscious, though naturally prostrated with grief and shock. It is not thought that his wounds will-prove fatal. The condition of the girl, however, \tas found to be alarming. There was an awful gash over, her eye, the front of her skull was , fractured, and she was in an unconscious, condition. > The ambulance was speedily procured, and at 2 o'clock the poor little thing ivas hurried off to the Hospital.' SCENE IN THE ROOM. The scene in the room in which the tragedy was committed was sickening.

A DEMENTED MOTHER

ATTACKS HER TWO CHILDREN.

A GRUESOME SIGHT.

THE MOTHER DISAPPEARS.

TLY IN A CREEK.

The pillows and clothes in the bed were covered in blood, and the little girl lay moaning with her battered head upon her arm, the clothes being turned clown a little. On the floor of the room was a poker, with which the awful deed was apparently committed. THE MOTHER DROWNS HERSELF. A search of the house was made by Mr .Winzenberg, Mr Brown, and others, but no trace could be. found of the mother. The little fellow who is injured said he saw something going down the street in white, and it is presumed that this was the unhappy mother. Sergeant Miller, who arrived on the scene later, immediately organised a search party. At about 2.15 the party came across the lifeless body of the woman partly underneath a culvert over a stream at the town end of , Essex Street. The- body,' which was clad only in a night-dress, was lying, face downwards in a few inches of water. It was immediately removed, and efforts made to restore animation, but without avail. Dr Cook was summoned, but could only pronounce life extinct.' THEORY' FOR THE .OUTRAGE.' Ibis presumed ithat the mother, who was livins alone in the house with her two children, was suddenly seized with a fit of dementia, and with a poker endeavoured to slay the innocent children in their sleep.-The girl would appear to have been first assailed, and then the boy, whp must have been' awakened after the first blow or two had been struck, and escaped from the house. , I . Mrs " Gardiner., had -resided in Essex for some months. Her ihusband (Mr Heotxjr-Grardihei') died only a short while back. She was ..between .thirty' 'and forty ..years of age,: aiid had resided: formerly in Taihape. When recovered from the water, the body of the unfortunate woman was noticed to have scratches about the face, evidently caused in getting through a barbed .wire.fence. There was also a large bruise on the forehead. This'had been'.•'noticed. during the afternoon by a neighbour's children. ' , \ The body was., removed ; to the morgue, and ah inquest will probably be held to-day. At 3 o'clock this morning enquiry at the Hospital showed that the little girl Beryll, though still unconscious, | was living. ..'...'