STRANGE TRAGEDY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1925, Page 5

STRANGE TRAGEDY

EMPLOYER USES HATCHET. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. LISBON, Jan. 9. An old miller named Almeida was the central figure in a strange tragedy near the ancient town of Coimbra. John and Maria Borges, brother and sister, who had long worked at the mill, went to tell Almeida that they could no longer work for him as their services were needed at home. Almeida said he quite understood that their own family must come first, and he appeared 1 reconciled to their loss. He invited them to stay to a farewell meal, and while it'was/being prepared the brother and sister agreed to repair the mill stone, and were thus engaged when, without sound or warning, Almeida attacked John with .a hatchet. A fight ensued, jn which Almeida’s wife, hurrying to the spot flung herself between her husband and John. She received .a- blow from the hatchet and was killed outright. Almeida then leapt at Maria, She wrested the hatchet from him. and in defending herself struck the old man such a blow that he too fell dead. •Tohii Borges is not expected to recover.

It is thought Almeida became suddenly demented at the thought of losing his young helpers.