MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 93, 20 April 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

STRANGE TRAGEDY NEAR MAN

CHESTER.

Chorlton-euin-Hardy, a populous suburb of Manchester, was the scene of a murder and suicide early on the morning of March 6th. Mr Frank Scott Johnston, who for some years has occupied the position of managing clerk to a firm of Manchester solicitors, was awakeued during the night by hearing the front door bell ring three or four times. He went downstairs and opened the door, and Mrs Johnston heard a pistol report. Rushing downstairs she found her husband lying on the floor shot In the chest, and her brotber-in-law, Nicholas Marsden, standing In the doorway with a revolver in his hands. He was shortly- afterwards found lying dead in the garden with the fivecliambered revolver by his side. Mr Johnston died soon afterwards. A patent dagger with the blade drawn was found in Marsden's pocket. The fact that he anticipated suicide was proved by the following document found in his possession:— "To all whom this may concern. Wherever my body Is found, it can be Identified by the papers in the pocket. Failing that, Identification can be made by my friend, John Tyrell, of Lyusdule Cottage, Hallam Fields, likeston. It will be use'ess sending to my address at Kensington, where there is now an old housekeeper in charge of my children, who will be waiting for my returu home. "Nicholas Marsden, 129, Chesterton Road, Kensington, London." The coroner's jury which the following day inquired Into the double tragedy decided that Nicholas Marsden, a London accountant, murdered Frank Scott Johnston and afterwards committed suicide while Insane. Mrs Johnston said that her husband had a difference with Marsden some years ago concerning the way Marsden treated his wife, but It wa9 not sufficient to account for his act. "He must have been mad," she added. Mr Tyrell, Marsden's brother-in-law, gave evidence. He suggested that much studying made Marsden Insane. He was a remarkably clever man. He spoke Spanish, German, and French, and won a gold medai for an essay In French. He had been unfortunate in business and depressed for some time about the illness of his wife. This reference to Johnston was foun.d in Marsden's will:— "Under no circumstances must the person known as Frank Scott Johnston, a lawyer's clerk, who married my wife's sister, be allowed to interfere in any way with my private affairs, or have any control over my children, nor must my children on any account be allowed to go to Johnston or his wife. I have known him for some years, but he ia no friend of mine or of my children. He is not to be trusted. He has earned my deepest disgust and contempt. Mr John Tyrell knows all about him."

what Johnston had said to Marsden—that

Mr Tyrell explained that it referred to he thought more ofg his books than his wife. He himself said ns much to Marsden about: the matter as Johnston did.

The coroner remarked that it was evident Marsden had some real or Imaginary grievance against Johnston.