MURDER AT WELLINGTON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5060, 10 March 1900, Page 2

MURDER AT WELLINGTON.

A Father Murders his Infant Daughter.

United Press Association—By Eleotric Telegraph

Wellington, March 9

A horrible murder was committed this evening. John Deighton, described as a cabinetmaker, aged 39, residing in Upper Cuba Street, murdering his twelve weeks old infant named Moana Caroline Rebecoa Deighton. Deighton, who is said to have beea a rabbiter, employed on Beetham's station, Wairarapa, some short time back, contracted & marriage with & Mrs Strangemuir, and the union is believed not to have been a happy one owing, it is alleged, to domestic infelicity. For some time Deighton has complained of the neglect) of the murdered infant by its mother, and daring the absence of the latter from home this evening, Deigbton took a razor and cub the infants throat almost from ear to ear. The spinal cord was severed, death being instantaneous. After committing the crims Deighton proceeded to the Mount Oook Police Station and gave himself up, giving as the reason for taking the life of the child that he thought she would be better off dead than neglected as she had been. He was quite rational. The Deightons appear to be people in fairly good circumstances, Mrs Deighton on the death of her former busband being left in the possession of some property. Deighton bears a good character, and what was the reason for the sudden impulse has not yet been explained, as the man had not been drinking.