MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 305, 24 December 1891, Page 7

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

/ tragic affair occurred at Forbes, New i'oath Wales, on Saturday week. A o an named Aherne. shot a girl of 17 years ,pamed Annie Williams, a servant at Nestor's Star Hotel, and afterwards put an jnd to himself. It seems that Aherne and his victim were both ab one time employed on Warroo gtation—he as boundary rider and she aa pursegirl. While there he paid a good deal of attention to her, and obtained the father's consent to their marriage. The jjirl, however, not only refused him, §nfc threatened to take poison to escape his attentions, which were jjiutasteful to her. She came up fei i'orbes and went into service. Here $jao met a young man named Simpson, a §»HJpositor in one of the local printing offices. Aherne came up to Forbes on /'Frklay, and kept continual watch over the / girl's movements till Saturday night. On j Saturday at about 8 p.m. she and Simpson \ vent to the post office, and passed Aherne \j at a street corner. On finding that the { office,was not open, they went for a walk \ down to the lagoon, and were followed by \£he rejected suitor. On reaching the lagoon they turned to come back, when they were confronted by Aherne, who asked Simpson, " What are you doing with my wife?" The girl stooped clown as if to pick up a. stone, and jis she did so said, "How dare you call jne your wife ?" While stooping she was shot' in the back by Aherno, who also fired another shot which grazed Her band. The assassin then made off, and Simpson started in pursut; but on the girl /cailins out, "Dan, don't leave me," he rei turned to her Side. After having run about 100"yards, Aherne iired two shots into his own body and fell deaii. ■ } Simpson picked the girl up, and she was fjaken to town, whero she lingered on till 6 O'clock on the Sunday evening. On the body of Aherne were found a pewly-purchased wedding ring and a most 'touching letter to his mother.