A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8238, 20 March 1907, Page 7

A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

LONDON, Jan. 17. Can the himian mind conceive a more nathetic and terrible tragedy than that of a young wife being accidentally killed by her own husband, with whom she was out oi.t a day's pleasure': 1 Hardly, .1 think. 'Net all Britain was shocked tins morning to read the sad news that such a tragedy actually occurred yesterday afternoon in the North of England. Captain Cuthbert, D.5.0., a young officer of 09, who served with" high distinction in the South African War, who is the owner of a splendid property, including a fine cestle, in Northumberland, and who yesterday was the still prouder possessor of a young wife, a very pretty gir Jof 25, and the daughter of an Earl, took her out with him on a shooting stroll, with a few friends and the usual attendants. The young couple drifted somewhat apart from the rest of the company, and were walking side by side, when .suddenly Captain Cuthbert caught his foot in a root and stumbled. This caused the trigger of the gun to catch in his coat, consequently the gun "went off," the whole charge, virtually solid at that short distance, prssing right through the head of his wife, and killing her instantaneously- The shock to the unhappy husband was so fearful that lie, too, fell instantly, as if dead, and when the rest of the .party rushed up they found what appeared to be two corpses lying on the snow: The young lady proved to be quite dead, the husband was restored to partial consciousness with much difficulty, and has ever since remained in a state ranging between distraction

and stupefaction. It is doubtful wliotlsffr- the fearful blow will not prove lata 1 either to his life or to his reassn.