MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18415, 22 May 1920, Page 7

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

FATHER STABS DAUGHTER. [Pi* Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 21. A distressing tragedy occurred at Otaki last evening. From swell partiv.ii. lars as have been obtained by telephone it appears- that at about 9.30 o'clock a man named M’Fall, a widower with four daughters, and a labourer by occupation, became engaged in an argument with his nineteen-year-old daughter, Olive. A brisk interchange of words was overheard by the married daughter. The father’s tone was more in the nature of a heated controversy than of violent anger. The oauso of the trouble appeared to he a letter which the father demanded, and which she refused to surrender. The girl, it was said, remonstrated, and was suddenly begird to emit a loud cry and exclaim, “Oh, father, you have stabbed mel” Immediately afterwards a fall was heard, and when the married daughter rushed into the room she was horrified to find both her father and sister in extremis. Both died a short time afterwards. Tho ovidenoe suggests that the father in a stress of anger, seized a sharp thin instrument, probably a hatpin, and made a thrust at tho gild, ✓ piercing her in such n vital spot as 10 cause almost instant death. ~ It i& then presumed that horrified at bis deed the man seized a razor and cut his throat, inflicting a. fearful gash. Tiie tragedy was reported to tho local police by the married daughter, and the police were quickly on the scene, but too late to be of any assistance, tbs victims or the quarrel and tragedybeing dead. LEVIN, May 21. According to information received here, M’Fall called his daughter to him, find stabbed her twice in the chest with a butcher’s knife. He then cut his own throat. Both died immediately. It is nndorstood that a serious Charge, involving another, daughter, jvas pending against M’Fall