ENGLISH SQUIRE MURDERED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 215, 7 September 1912, Page 17

ENGLISH SQUIRE MURDERED.

GAMEKEEPER'S TERRIBLE CRIME. A WIFE'S PAINFUL ORDEAL. Little did Mr Edward Hanslope Watts think that, as lie -was walking with, his charming wife to their beautiful tome, Hanslope Park, after attending divine service nt the picturesque country church, lie would be suddenly cut off in the prime of his manhood, and summoned by a violent death to meet his Maker. Such, however, -was the case. What makes the affair all the more terrible is that the wealthy and popular landowner, a brother-in-law of General Sir John French, and a relative of the Duchess of Hamilton, was shot dawn in the presence of his wife, who, it is believed, had a narrow escape herself. As Mr and Mrs Watts -were walking leisurely homewards a shot suddenly rang out from behind the thickly-clustered trees on the side of the road near Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamsih-ire. The equire immediately foil to the ground, the deadly pellets laving struck him in the back of the head. Mrs Watts, who wa3 walking a. few yards in the rear of her husband, rushed to Us assistance, and -as she did so caught sight of the assailant, half-hidden in the trees, with ihie gun still at the shoulder.

Exclaiming, "lie's firing again!' , the hidy dropped 'by the side of her husband's body, and thus probably avoided a similar fate.

The murderer was William Farrow, a gamekeeper in the employ of Mr Watts, and he subsequently committed suicide not far from the scene of the crime.

The sound of the firing attracted the attention of a lodgekeeper living a short distance a-way.

He rushed to the scene, and ."was ihorrlfled to see Mrs "Watts holding her husband, who ■was apparently dead.

On examination, it was evident that life ■was extinct, a second shot having been fired at Mr Watts and having hit him in the centre of the hack, tearing his clothes to shreds.

■Mrs Watts, overcome T>y the tragic affair, had by this .rime collapsed, and she remains in a state of prostration.

Prom subsequent discoveries it was plain that Farrow, after killing his master, ran from the hedge "wJiere he had taken -up his stand to the 'back of the spinney, a distance of about thirty-five yards, and tad there shot himself.

He was discovered lying full length on his 'back, with his double-barrelled gun stretched by his side.

Apparently he had shot himself while standing, death having been instantaneous.

•Farrow seemed in his usual spirits on the day of the outrage, and was at work tn his garden for some time. Later he went on his rounds, and returning home about eleven o'clock told his wife tihat he wanted some cartridges to lend to a neighbouring farmer.

It is now believed that he had secreted his gun In the woods, an<2 that, having secured the cartridges, he went 'back for the gun, and, knowing that Mr Warts had gone to church, he awaited his return, and deliberately shot him.

EVirrow had been employed liy Mr Watts for nearly two years, and It is stated that he .was under notice to leave.

About twelve months ago Farrow, when out shooting with his master on a neighbour's coverts, sustained a very badi sunstroke, and was carried home in an unconscious condition, remaining in that state for some hours. It is thought that the recent heat had tad the effect of unhinging the mam's mind.

That William Farrow, the gamekeeper,' deliberately planned to kill Mr Edward Hanslope Watts on his way (home from church is proved by a message which he left behind.

In a 'book in- -which he entered details of all the rabbits under his charge was a badly scrawled, illiterate message:

"Martin has been telling lies about mc. He done this. Put this in the paper. "I always been a friend to him, and my wife, too."

•Martin was Farrow'e fellow-keeper, but from iiMTiiiries there appears to -be no foundation whatever for the charge.

At the inquest Herbert Ed.ward Bull apologised for the absence of his aunt, Mrs Watts, who was in a 'state of prostration. Farrow had been nnder notice to leave.

Mrs Annie Farrow said that between ten and h*tf-past on the day of the outrage her busband took some cartridges from a drawer, Bajtng he wanted thorn for a Mr Whttforead, and went out. At about eleven o'clock he came in again and drank a jugful of primrose wine.

'1 remonstrated with him," the widow ■went on, "for drinking It like that. He •had ibeen drinking .the day before, and had had hardly anything to eat; lw hadn't eaten much all the week. He had had enoujrh •when lie came in, tout he wasn't drunk. I dad- heard -nothing of him being under notice. -He had never said a wrong word about Mr Watte. Last year he had stroke. I never dreamed he was going to take life. It's a mystery to mc," the weeping widow exclaimed.

The coroner having emphasised the fact that 'Farrow !hnd 'been drinking, a verdict of murder and "felo-de-se" was returned •by the jury.