OUTRAGE NEAR WANGANUI.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 10 September 1917, Page 8

OUTRAGE NEAR WANGANUI.

SIX PERSONS ATTACKED WITH AN AXE.

CULPRIT (ATTEMPTS SUICIDE. (Per Press Association), WAXGANUI, September!). A shocking affair occurred at Kannngaroa, near Fordell, early this morning. Frederick Bonnier arose at 3.30, and, procuding an axe, went into a back room occupied by three young men named Atliol Baylor, nineteen years of age, Henry Watson, nineteen, and Norman Young, seventeen. Each had his head cut open. Bonnier then attacko'd his wife, and Mrs Beckham, who were sleeping in the same bed, along with an infant. The child was not touched, but each of the women received a terrible cut in the head. Albert Beckham, hearing a noise entered his wife's-bedroom. when Bonnier struck him violently on the head and then bolted, Beckham, despite his injuries, was able to raise an alarm and the polico and a doctor were Biimmoiiofl from Wanpmi. The police | found Bennier in a shed 250 yards away I with'his'throat cut. He was still alive, as were the other victims of the tragedy, his wound was stitched. Neighbours provided motor cars, and the six sufferers were taken to the hospital. All are expected to recover, Bonnier was recently employed at the Harbour Board's quarries. llis wife -find four children have been living in the vicinity. The children some weeks ago were admitted to hospital suffering from fever, one of them dying. Mrs Ben-' nier then took the survivors to Kannngaroa, and declined to go back to the quarries, whereupon Bennier got employment near Kanangaroa.. He and his wife and the others were playing cards until midnight on Saturday, and all were on good terms.