SHOOTING TRAGEDY

Northern Advocate, 8 November 1932, Page 2

SHOOTING TRAGEDY

WOMAN CRITICALLY WOUNDED. ASSAILANT’S SUICIDE. SYDNEY, October 2d. After shooting Muriel Winifred White, 31, and wounding her critically, William Henry Morris., 31, a station hand, committed suicide at Ashley siding, about 12 miles from Moree, yesterday morning. The couple had been living together for some years, and had five children. Recently Morris was discharged from the Moree Hospital, following an operation. He became morose, and appeared to have been mentally affected. While he was in hospital his family received relief rations. He had been employed as a station hand on Boolooroo station for a number of years, and he was to have returned to work nextweek.

According to the woman’s statement, she was dressing at about S o’clock yesterday morning when she heard a noise at her bedroom door. Her twin babies were lying on the bed. The next instant the door was flung open. She caught a glimpse of Morris, heard an explosion, and felt a stinging pain on her nose. Then she collapsed. Morris’ mother was in the garden, when she hoard two shots fired. She rushed into the house, and found her sou lying on his back on the floor, with a bullet wound in his forehead. His pea-rifle was lying alongside him. Nearby was Muriel White in a pool of blood.

The police were summoned, and Ser--geant. McGrath, of Moree, rushed to the scone. The .Moree ambulance carried the woman to the hospital, where she was admitted in a serious condition, with a bullet wound in her nose. The man was dead.

The woman regained consciousness during the and made a statement to the police.