THE SOUTHLAND TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 65, 16 March 1916, Page 7

THE SOUTHLAND TRAGEDY.

MARRIED MAN'S STRANGE FREAK. LIVES WITH GIRL IN BUSH. The Southland 'Times" publiehes a full account of the Seaward Bush tragedy, a brief account of which was telegraphed. The "Times" says:— A sensation was caused in town on Sunday evening when it was learned that a well known land and commission agent in lnvercargill, Edward Henry Smith, had committed suicide, and had also taken the life of a young woman named Myrtle Scott, 20 years of age. About a fortnight ago an advertisement appeared in the local Pree3 intimating that aciian and young woman had disappeared from their homes, and had last been seen at Elles Road South, a reward being offered for information thalt would lead to the discovery of their whereabouts. In a few days, however, the reward was withdrawn, and rumours found their way into circulation that the pair had gone to Dunedin, while it was also I asserted that they had been seen on several occasions about Seaward Bush. It seemed quite true that they had visited houses asking for food, which they received, as several residents of South lnvercargil) .had been told by people who had. assisted them in th:e way that they h.-id seen them at different times. The girl Scott had for some years been typistf: for Smith, who carried on business iji premises near the White Swan Hotel, and during a considerable period before, the war broke out had two offices, one in Dec and the other in Esk Street, but lie closed the latter after the speculative tendency of the people disappeared bcfoire the altered outlook due to the conflict, and did all his business in the one place. Those who were in close association with the man for some time saw nothing in his appearance or manner to indicate that he was not in his ordinary state of mind at the time he went away, and several who had seen him just the previous day say he was in cheerful spirits. However, the fact remains that Smith, married with a. family, and himself bordering on 70 years of age, and not 50, as has J)ecn stated in the Press— that is if his own word is to be accepted as true—left with a woman young enough to be his granddaughter, and with her lived in the bush for close on a fortnight, depending for food on the generosity of residents and on what they j could gather from the turnip and potato I fields round about. There was evidence in the vicinity of the shelter the pair had made in the bush that these roots formed a by no means unimportant part of the food they relied upon. The place to which they retired when anyone approached was well situated from their point of view, as a person passing along wauld not likely come across it. It was reported from the outset of the escapade of the couple that Smith had a revolver, and some said the woman was also armed, but as far as could be learned no one had seen weapons of this kind in their possession. Myrtle Scott was a daughter of Mr. James Scott, a small farmer, and her peculiar conduct is inexplicable, though probably the inquest that will be held will throw considerable light on the affair. About ISDS Smith was a shepherd, on Gardiner's Tapui station, in the Oamaru district, and later was head shepherd on Gardiner's Island Cliff. , 'property near Ngapara. this being in 189 S. Subsequently he was on Fairplace' station, near Riversdale, being employed by Mr. • J. C. Xichol, and removed to Redan estate, near Wyndham, which he left to take possession of a farm at Tokanui he had purchased from Mr. S. Miller. After that he was for a number of years -in Gore as a land and commission agent, and then came to lnvercargill, where he was engaged in the same kind of business.