A BOY'S TRAGIC SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 5

A BOY'S TRAGIC SUICIDE.

KILLED BY SHAME.

PERTH, June 16,

A terrible tragedy occurred afc North JH-emantle last night, when a boy named ei\ r/ Maso». aged 16, a cleric, employed by M Ilwraith, M'Eaoharn and Co., shot himself. The deceased was a son of Mr JJreclk. Mason, an old resident of the colony, and one of the wealthiest men in I'remantle. For many years Mr Mason, sen has been residing at North Fremantle with a woman who was always supposed to be Ins wife, and by whom lie had five children, Henry Mason being one of them. I here was a great surprise among hi 3 mends and family, and a.painful scandal, when Mr Mason, about a month ago, married Mrs Hillmer, who had been renting an hotel from him, and ifc thus became known that the woman he had lived'with so long was not his wife at all. The disclosure preyed greatly on the mind of young Mason. Mason, sen., with his newly-made wife, intended going to the eastern colonies by the steamer Karlsruhe, and by arrangement met his two sons at North Fremantle railway station soon after 8 last night. He shook hands with the younger son, but on offering his hand to Henry, the latter drew a revolver, and, putting ifc to his head, fired. Mason senior fled., Immediately a crowd gathered; but for a long time it was thought that the two boys had been playing with a revolver, and that the affair was accidental. Young Mason was taken home, but never recovered conspiousntss, and died about 11 o'clock, A paper was found on him bearing the words, " Everybody knows why I committed suicide." The facts then" leaked out and the police made an effort to find Mason, senior, but were for some time unsuccessful. Later he was discovered on the German mail steamer with his Avife. After some pressure on the part of the police Mason returned to North Freemantle, Mrs Mason going on in the steamer.