THE TRAGEDY AT DEESA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3565, 21 June 1872, Page 3

THE TRAGEDY AT DEESA.

(From the Times of India, April 22 J

We learn the following particulars of a dreadful occurrence at Deesa, from a private letter. Lieutenant Munro, the Adjutant of the 108th Regiment, was shot dead on parade by Private Butler, and wounds inflicted on Captain A. H. Laurie were so severe as to be at once pronounced mortal. Captain Laurie died shortly after being removed to his bungalow. He leaves a wife and two young children. Butler, the murderer, succeeded in shooting himself before he could be seized. The deceased officers were great favourites in the regiment, both in messroom and barracks ; poor Laurie must have been beloved by the men, for he it was who took the lead in all their sports, and to whom officers and men alike were often indebted for many an evening’s amusement. Both officers were well known in many a station in this presidency, and all will feel,.almost equallv with Deesa, the gloom occasioned by the shocking occurrence.

Private Butler seems to have deliberately planned the murder of Captain Laurie. He accordingly remained absent from tattoo roll-call on the night of the 16th inst., and, on search being made for him, it was found that he had taken his rifle and 20 rounds of ball cartridge with him. The search, thereupon was prosecuted more vigorously than over, but no clue could be obtained as to Butler’s whereabouts. It appears he must have been lying hid all night in Captain Laurie’s compound, awaiting his unsuspecting victim. Why Butler should have entertained such deadly animosity towards Captain Laurie, who was so greatly beloved in the regiment, we have not heard; but Butler was a notoriously bad character, and always in trouble. Herein, no doubt, lies the explanation.

Early on the morning of the 17th, Captain Laurie was riding ont of his compound, dressed for parade, when Butler sprang from Lis place of concealment and fired at him. Poor Laurie fell from his horse wounded, when the ruffian reloaded and fired again. Captain Laurie had now sustained two wounds, one in the thigh and another in the shoulder. The firing at this unusual time and place brought Mrs Laurie out to ascertain the cause. Her screams, following the shots, brought up the Adjutant (Munro), who galloped to the spot. Butler saw him approaching, turned towards him, and shot him through the heart. Poor Munro never uttered a sound or cry, but fell from his horse dead. Again Butler turned upon his helpless victim, and, advancing within three feet of him, inflicted another wound in the presence of Mrs Laurie, who could do nothing to aid her husband. Now Lieutenant Crawford and Captain Stokes came up ; they, too, were fired at; the wonder is how they escaped. Colonel Williams, too, had a couple of shots, pass unpleasantly near his head, but whether they were aimed at him is not known. Capt. Stokes turned out the quarter guard, who charged the murderer iu a body. He ran from the officers’ quarters towards the ration stand, closely pursued by a sergeant. Getting into a shed, he expended his last cartridge in blowing his own brains out. Colonel Williams was almost too much affected to be able to give the orders for the dismissal of the regiment from parade. Lieutenant Munro was buried on the evening of the 17th, the day on which he mot his death. Captain Laurie died at half-past 3 on the same day. It was at first intended to amputate his leg but the operation was not performed, as the other wounds, for which surgical skill could do nothing, were only too clearly mortal.