MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER HUSBAND.

Evening Post, Volume XIII, Issue 54, 4 March 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

MURDER OF A WIFE BY HER HUSBAND.

The Western Australian Times of 7th January contains the following account of the- murder of Mrs. Kenneth Brown by her husband :—: — , " During the forenoon of Monday Mr. Brown and his wife quarrelled, whereupon.he took up a powder flask and threatened to blow the - roof off the house. The flask was taken away - from him by a man named Simpson, who was employed in_ removing^ Mr,, Brown's furniture to another house. Simpson states that Mr. Brown appeared intoxicated, and continually walking up and down the passage in the house, 'talking to himself At 3 in the afternoon another quarrel took place between the two, in the presence of Simpson. On this occasion Mr. Brown, took up his gun and told his wife to leave the room or he would, give her the contents of the gun. Simpson took the gun away from him, locked it up in the servants' room, and gave the key to Mrs. Brown, who hid it. Simpson then left with a load lof furniture. : About 4 o'clock in the afternoon another quarrel occurred between Mr. Brown and his wife in 'presence of their servant, Bridget Mountain, in the kitchen. Mr. and Mrs. Brown on this occasion went ;into the house, Bridget remaining in the kitchen. Some few minutes afterwards Mrs. Brown came running towards the kitchen, calling out, " Bridget, the gun !" Bridget, looking out, saw Mrs. Brown close to hef; and Mi\ Brown standing in the doorway of the house with the gun levelled at his wife. He fired, and the shot took effect in her right arm and side. Mrs. Brown, got into the kitchen, and Bridget shut the door, and heard the gun again fired. She then went out,|and saw the body lying by the kitchen door, shot in the head. ;» Mr. Brown acknowledged, to a constable that he had shot his wife. Simpson states _that Mr- JBrown_was during the afternoon in the -same state as in the morning, walking up aud down talking to himself."