TRAGEDY AT PALMERSTON NORTH.

Murder and Suicide. (Per United Press Association). Wellington, February 20. Constable Hutton reports that the McKains were turned off the Manawatu line at Croftonon Monday because they had no ticket. They stayed at Johnsonville, a little further on, and on Wednesday morning they asked a constable to assist them in paying the hotel bill as he had lost his purse in Wellington. McKain pawned a violin to get money to go to Palmerston, and left in the afternoon. The hotel bill was not paid and McKain wrote to the landlord expressing regret and hinting that he would soon see that it was paid. Mr Cook, stationmaster also advanced the man money. McKain had a revolver with a very fancy inlaid handle. He told Constable Hutton. that he had friends in Palmerston North, and that he would be all light if he could get there. Later. The "Post's" correspondent at Palmerston North telegraphs that the " Standard" states that whether Mrs McKain was a consenting party to her shocking fate will, of course, never be cleared up, but the general impression is that she was not, and there are several apparently good reasons advanced in support of this contention. Previous to retiring to rest she had carefully put her hair in pins, while her undergarments were left about the room as if she had hurriedly retired to rest, and left them where they could be conveniently picked up again. Then it was usual for Mrs McKain to take coffee and bread and butter, and jam, for supper, and no exception was made on Friday, all the food being consumed. Then the cheerfulness and hilarity displayed by her in the bedroom before going to sleep seemed to be so contradictory to the idea that she contemplated death in the night, while the fact that the tragedy did not take place till early in the morning favors the idea that Mrs McKain was first shot in her sleep. Against that, it is said that McKain was heard as if dictating to his wife, and that before they went to their bedroom they were standing in the passage, looking at a case of birds, and she was heard to ask if she would go and write something then, and he replied to the effect that later on would do. This is taken to support the theory that the letters were partly written by her, or with her knowledge. Also, Dr. Seed is convinced from an examination of her eyes that she was awake when she was ehot, but even that idea may only be due to the fact that she was awakened as the crime was being perpetrated, while, with all due respect to the doctor, the appearance of her body is opposed to the idea that she was awake, as her hands were resting caielessly on her breast, her eyelids were closed, and her lips slightly parted, and there was a peaceful expression on her face. We regret that in the hurry of the moment on Saturday we suggested that part of the letter was in a woman's writing, as a oareful examination shows that the whole of the writing is McKain's, though there is considerable difference between the part written in ink and that written with an ink pencil. No pen and ink was found in the room, and the fact that alterations and additions were made with the pencil goes far to prove that the letter must have been written beforehand and corrected that evening. In regard to the three shots, it appears that the first and second shots were heard in the the next bedroom at 4.20 a.m. and at 4.40 a.m., and a third shot was heard at six o'clock by the occupant of a bedroom opposite, and at this time the occupants of the adjoining bedroom were downstairs That . would leave the impression that McKain shot his wife, waited 20 minutes, and fired at her again, and then waited an hour and 20 minutes before giving himself the final despatch. The questions arousing most interest are— (l) Did Mrs McKain shoot herself? (2) Was she shot by her husband with her consent? (3) Was she shot by her husband without her consent? After a careful survey of the whole circumstances, we are forced to the conclu=ion that the deed was contemplated for days at least by the husband ; that the time was selected on the impulse of the moment ; and that the wife had no knowledge of the intended tragedy. The "Standard" states that the woman's features were peaceful, while the man's were contorted. [We are given to understand that McKain, the principal in this dreadful tragedy, was born in Nelson about 22 years ago, when his father was in the employ of Messrs Griffin & Sons.]