A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 15174, 3 May 1913, Page 5

A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, May 2. There was a terrible tragedy at' Ballarat to-day. Percy Coates, an engineer, recently from England, appears to have gone suddenly mad. While Airs Coatee was cooking breakfast she was shot in the back with, a revolver by her husband. A second shot was fired, which entered Mrs Coates's arm. She ran- to the police station, and the police, on going to the house, found a boy aged four years shot dead, and another boy aged five alive, though, he had been shot in the head and wrist. Coatee, who was unconscious, had shot himself in tire temple, and is not expected to recover. Ho has been depressed in spirits of late. (Received. May 3, at 9.35 a,m.) Coates is dead. Hie condition of the others is not serious. Coates was known as “ Pessimistic Percy,” owing to his doleful view of life. He arrived nine months ago, and his family followed him in March. Questioned about a revolver ho was handling on Thursday, he told his wife he would be all right if he remained with her, but it was a cold world for charity. >