STAFFORDSHIRE TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10413, 10 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

STAFFORDSHIRE TRAGEDY.

LOVER KILLS HIS SWEETHEART WUILE SHE SLEEPS, A sad story cornea from Scone, North Staffordshire. After mi absence of two years from the district, Annie Hine.*, a tlome?tio servant, returned to Stone on Christmas Eve. She took up her residence with mi old friend—Henry Shingler, ft boot finisher, and his widowed mother. On his return home on the Wednesday Shinirler was much distressed on learning that llinos had given birth to a child oiirly in tho afternoon. Mrs. Shingler left; the house for a short tlino, and on her return she found the doors fastened. An entrance was effected through » bedroom window upstairs, and in the front room Hinos was found quite dead from a revolver shot. Shingler wee lying with his head on the bed, badly wounded from a similar cause. The revolver was lying near, Tlio baby lay antouched on its. mother's arm. Shinglor was taken into custody, mid removed to the Stafford Infirmary, whero he lies in a precarious condition, a bullet having entered one lemplo and passed out At the other. Inquiries show that Slangier had done no work since Christmas, and that Hinos was possessed of some little money whan she arrived In Stone on December 21. The 'pair have been aeon in several public-houses together since then. After ho knew of the birth of the child, ho told his mother ho would do the best he could for her, as she had been a good friend to him. When Mrs. Shinglor, Mr?. Smith, and the midwile, Mrs. Downing, first went into the room after the tragedy they found everything bespattered with blood. Hinos was lying on the bed, quito dead, with the baby asleep on her arm, unci with no evidence of pain on her faco. Shingler was kneeling by the bedside, the revolver still in hit hand. The bullet had entered Miss Ilines' face at the corner of the left eye, near her nose, and death, there can be no doubt, was instantaneous in her case. The bullet) had entered Shingler's head just above the right temple, and came out) above the left, afterwards striking the ceiling and rebounding against an iron box. His case, it is stated, is almost hopeless. The parties, Shiugler's mother states, were to have been married last week, but the event was postponed until after tlio birth of the child. Ac the inquost Dr. Candlor said the accused had a bullet wound in his right temple, and an exit wound in the loft temple. He was of opinion that the deceased was shot while sleeping, the revolver being held elope to her head. The jury returned ft verdict) of " Wilful murder" against Harry Shingler.