TRAGEDY AT TEMUKA.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5830, 21 May 1884, Page 6

TRAGEDY AT TEMUKA.

TIMABU, May 1. [ The inhabitants of Temuka were horrified yesterday by the news that a shocking ] murder and suicide had been committed J early in the morning. The news at once took a definite shape, for the facts were few and simple. J. W. Garland, licensee of the Aroarhenna Hotel, had shot his wife and then shot himself, death in both cases being instantaneous. The news quickly reached Timaru. The following are the main facia learned. Yesterday morning the deceased arose, and slipping on his dressing gown proceeded upstairs, and called the man servant. After receiving an answer he was heard to go down stairs again, and before the servant had fully dressed two reports of firearms were heard. A3 it is not daylight till about six o'clock at this s i-ason o£ the year, and our informant being positive that the dawn was just breaking, it is concluded that the time the reports were heard would be between G. 15 and 6 30. The man servant and the woman servant paid no immediate attention to the occurrence, though more than one admit that they were a bit frightened. On one of the servants going to the room with some coffee for her mistress, as she had been in the habit of doing about half-past seven o'clock, she was rather surprised and startled to find that the bedroom door was locked, and still more startled on observing smoke issuing from the keyhole and round the door, the smoke smelling like burned gunpowder. She immediately called up her companions, and it was decided to send for the police, and not to break into the room themselves. A messenger was accordingly, despatched to Temuka, and on arriving at the police station he informed Constible Morton, the officer in charge, as well as he could, of the circumstances surrounding the melancholy affair. Constable Morton went out at once, first sending for Dr Hayes, and both arrived at the hotel about the same time. They at once broke in the door of Mr Garland's bedroom, an 1 one of the ghastliest scenes ever witnessed presented itself to their view. On the floor at the foot of the bed lay, on its right side, the body of Mr Garland, and in the bed that of Mrs Garland. Mr Garland was first looked to, and on raising the body it was seen that the right aide of the face was blown away by a gunshot. Underneath the body lay the weapon with terrible deed had been accomplished—a double-barrelled breechloaiing fowling piece. Tae wound was of such a nature that death must have been instantaneous, and the position in which the body was found showed that it was so. The deceased was dressed only in his night shirt, drawers and dressing gown. In the bed she had slept in, covered with the bedclothes, lay the body of Mrs Garland with a fearful wound in the back of the head, visible to those entering the room. In her case, too, death must have been instantaneous, the whole of the left upper side of the head being blown away. On examining the gun a plait or coil of false hair was found fastened to the trigger-guard with a loop, which was found round the left foot of the man. Actually how the deed was done can only bo surmised, but everything points to the supposition that the man deliberately shot hie wife as she slept, placing the muzzle of the gun close to her head and afterwards fixing the loop of hair to the trigger, destroyed himself by firing off the second barrel with his foot. Dr. Hayes having examined the bodies and pronounced life extinct, Constable Morton made search for anything that would throw light on this painful catastrophe, and in one of the pockets of the deceased's coat found the following letter, which, however, throws no light upon the motive of the deed. The letter, which was in an unfastened envelope, wae addressed to "Mr Broom," and Constable Morton knowing that Inspector Broham had been acquainted with Mr Garland in Christchurch, and supposing it was intended for Inspector Broham, tnfc it into Timaru. The letter is as follows :—"April 30th. Mr Broom: Sir, — This letter is to let you know that I did this act of injustice to my wife and myself and my children, and may God forgive mc. There is £40 in the cash-box, which belongs to Mrs S win ton, my sister, and a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch, for money I have put in the Bank of New Zealand with my own account belonging to Mrs Swinton, and I wish that money (.£7O) paid to Mrs Swinton at once. There is £170 in the Bank of New Zealand to my account. I wish it to be paid over to my brother Henry Garland, for to see my children right according to law, and Mr Holmes, my solicitor, to act with my brother, so that my children get what belongs to mc. If there is anythine else sell all you can and divide it between the four children, three boys and one girl now alive. Let them all have the same. If what is written down by mc is not right according to law, the law must put it rigbt for my four children.—John Gabland." It is said that Mr Garland received a telegram on "Wednesday informing him that the tenant of a property in Christchurch belonging to him had failed, in consequence of which Mr Garland would lose .£4OO or i 5500. This seemed to trouble him somewhat, but not very seriously, and it certainly seems insufficient to furnish a motive for so terrible a crime. Garland was a native of Jersey, and had been in the colony about eleven years. He formerly had the Railway Hotel at Christchurch. TIMABU, May 2. At the inquest to-day on the Garlands, there was not the slightest further light thrown on the affair, the cause of which will be known. The jury returned a verdict that J. W. Garland committed the deed, but there was no evidence as to his sanity.