A HENLEY HORROR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 76, 28 March 1908, Page 15

A HENLEY HORROR.

MTJRDEEES'G A FAAOLY.

LONDON, February 14. The pretty little village of Fawley, near Henley-on-liames, was last Saturday tie scene of a fearful tragedy, involving the tires of five people. Tne author of this slaughter was Mr Frederick Holmes, an elderly gentleman, well known in local business and social circles, and managing director of the New Westminster Brewery Co. His victims were his wife and daughter, his cook and parlour maid and himself. Mr Holmes, who lived at a quiet country house named Crockmore, had recently suffered severe financial reverses,, and had been in ill-health for some little time, but there was nothing in his de- | meanour to give any indication to his fam-' ily or friends that his mind was rxaiing-j cd. His disposition remained cheerful, in spite of financial worries and indisposition, and to iis wife and daugiter hr was ever a loving husband and affectionate father.

On Friday night tie family retired to bed at 10 o'clock. Mr Holmes and his wife slept

in one of the front rooms, bis daugiter ■Winifred In a Back room, and the two servants shared another. Tiere was nobody else in the house, but in a cottage hard by lived the gardener, Henry Bareueld.who had plighted his troth with Lillie Hayes, the. cook. On Saturday morning, Barefield went to the house, as usual, about half-past seven, and whistled for his sweetheart to let him in. There was no reply, but tie gardener, imagining that she was sleeping more soundly than usual, simply went about his work in the. garden until tie milkman: came. The house remained locked up. but with the aid of the milkman, Bareneid' effected an eutrance through the pantry l window, lit the kitchen fire, and after mat- I

ing a few attempts to attract bis sweetheart's notice, went obont iis work in tie stables. At nine o'clock he returned to tbe house, and finding no one about began to feel uneasy. Finally he decided to investigate, and made for tie servants' bedroom. Getting no reply to his knocklngs, ie opened tie door, and was iorrlfied to find both giris dead in bed, their faces smothered iv blood. Realising that an aWful tragedy had taken place, and thinking tiat worse might have iappened, ie rushed to Miss Holmes' room, and found her also lying dead in bed. Sick with horror, Bareheld rushed from the house to his mother's cottage, and blurted out his fearful story to her. and to a man and woman who were passing. Tie four hastily returned to "Crockmore," and continued the Investigation, with the result that they discovered Mrs Holmes also dead in bed. a fearful bullet wound in her temole pointing out clearly how she haa died. Of Mr Holmeo there was no trace, though it wis evident he had been to bed. All tie victims iad t been shot in their sleep, and the state or tie bedclothes showed that they had died Instantly.

I The police were speedily brought upon tie [scene, and a searei party organised to seek for Mr Holmes. For hours no trace iof him could be found, bnt about two o'clock his body was discovered under a tree in a copse about a mile from his home, shot tirougi the heart. Close by, on tie blood-stained grass, was a heavy revolver containing four live cartridges, and several loose cartridges were found in the dead man's pockets.

| At the inquest nothing transpired to throw jany doubt as to the correctness of the surmise that Mr Holmes had murdered his wife, daughter, and servants during a sudden fit of homiciaal mania, and then killed himself, and tie jury returned a verdict to that effect.

It seems tiat some years ago Mr Holmes had a bad fall in the hunting field, which resulted In a fractured skull, and that quite recently he had had a heavy fall in his own garden. He had also been suffering of late with gastric troubles and influenza. jand was threatened with an affection of ( tie eyes tirougi excessive smoking, but •both medical and lay evidence was to the i effect tiat tiere had been nothing in Mr Holmes' conversation or manner to suggest mental derangement; Indeed, all his friends had marvelled at the way in which iej faced his financial troubles and ill-iealti.