A FARM TRAGEDY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 7 March 1912, Page 7

A FARM TRAGEDY.

FATHER AND SON SHOT. A FAMILY LEFT IN CANADA. A gruesome tragedy was discovered to have taken place cm' a farm at Monrngag, Victoria, on Wednesday, February 14." Mr T. F. Harrison found in a slab and bark hut the bones of Samuel .Tames Walker, aged alaout 55 years, and his son Joseph, 24 years of age. Walker, senior, was a Canadian, and about four years ago oniric to Victoria, where his "father, who had left Canada some years previously, had acquired 600 acres of land at Moorngag. The falhcl 1 died Soon afterwards, and Willker bought out his brother's interest 10 months ago. He sent for his sou, who chme out from Canada. The pair appear to have lived in a wasteful style, as the properly was mortgaged. Samuel Walker was last seen on Feb. 8, when he called at the house of Mrs Harrison, a neighbour, and got four loaves of bread and three lettera, one being from Canada, where he had his \Vife and seven oilier children. He" promised to call on Mrs Harrison, but did not do so; and later her son, at her request, visited Walker's place to see if' anything was wrong. Approaching' the hut, he was unable to enter, as the door /was locked. He looked through a broken window of tlys bedroom, and siw the decomposed body- of a man with his right hand resting near a double-barrel-led. gun. The muzzle was on his chest pointing- towards "the side of his head, behind the ear. He also noticed the body of another man in a bunk. The police were immediately informed. The bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition, the doctor being of opinion' tlrat death occurred a week before. Both men were in their night clothes, the father lying on his back, with a large gunshot wound in his chest.. It would appear that while he was asleep the gun was held perpendicularly over him and discharged. There were no signs of a struggle. The younger mi\n was lying on his back. There were three cartridges on the floor beside the bed, also a razor. There was a wound in the young man's tljroat. After cutting his throat young Walker shot himself. His skull was blown right off. No money was found in the place, and there was very little food. On every hand tliere was the existence of poverty. The two were known at times to have had words, but they were thought by the neighbours to be on really good terms. It is thought that tjie son may have to return to Canada, and nave been stopped by his father. A letter which was found in the place showed that he was very dissatisfied with Victoria.