THE SOUTHHEAD TRAGEDY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7737, 17 April 1896, Page 2

THE SOUTHHEAD TRAGEDY.

MUEBER AND SUICIDE.,

[PBB FEBB3 ASSOCIATXCIJ— COPYBIGHT.]!

Sydney, April 16. A terrible tragedy has come to light id connection with the Southhsad soioide. The body has been identified as that o£ : James "William Down, residing with litewife at Surrey Hills. The suicide led to the ditcovery that Mrs Down had disappeared, and it was ascertained that the couple had left home together on the morning of the snicido. They were traced to North Shore, where they went to a registry office to enquire for ro2ms for a married couple. All eearoh to tvaca the woman failed Hntil to-day, when her ~body waa found by a swagger in a, ioneiy part of the bush at Worth Shore with a fearful gash mi the There \?as evidence of a. struggle, and tho face of the woman had almost been eaten away hy aaimals. It ia supposed the couple renewsd a quarrel which they had before leaving , home, and after committing , the deed jDowiT returned to the city, where ho hired a cab, .dreve toSouthhead, and carried out his premeditated intention ox committing suicide. JTorseveral years Down carried on an extensiv'9 butchery bnsiness in the city, but for the last three years he lived in retirement on money received from Sagland. It is stated he was expecting a remittance of between £5000 and £6000 in a few days. He married the murdered woman a year ago. but they lived aaoat unhappi'y. Down was intemperate in hie habits, and jealous and suspicious of his wife's fidelity, and was constantly ill-ueing her. At an inquest on the body of Down evidence was given of a serious quarrel with his wife on the morning of the tragedy. The jury found a verdict that there was insufficient evidence to shew whether he jumped or fell war the cliff.