MURDER AND SUICIDE

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8061, 6 October 1894, Page 2

MURDER AND SUICIDE

A SHOCKING AFFAIR.

TWO MEN MURDERED AND ONE SUICIDED.

(per press association.) Nelson, October 5.

The following telegram was received from Tophonse by Mr Calders, Chief Postmaster, at 4 30 p m to-day : — "The three bodies of Messrs Wallis, Lane, and Bateman were found near Longney's accommodation hou.e, known as the Tophouse. Bateman appears to have shot i his two victitis and this morning shot himself on the verandah of Longney's | house. He was seen this morning walking about the hillside with a gun in his hand apparently out of his mind. Mr and Wt& Longney, proprietors of the hotel are ab eat at Blenheim and they left Bateman In charge." At 730 ! Sergeant" Major Piatt received the fallowing wire from the constable who reached Tophouse at 6 o'clock — "Found body of Mr WalHs, telegraphist lying in a paddock behind the station with a 'gunshot wonnd in h's neck, dead; also John Lane lying on the road beyond Tophouse with a gunshot wound behind his ear, deid. Both men were shot by Bateman who afterwards shot himself on the verandah of Longney's accommodation houso." The will be brought tv Foxhill on Saturday evening, whera the inquest will ba held. Wallis leaves a wife but no family. The poor woman must have passed a terrible night, besieged by the madman and alone In the house. At Longney's house thera was a governess and two children, but they were not molested.