SUDDEN MADNESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13723, 13 April 1908, Page 6

SUDDEN MADNESS.

IRONMOULDER'S STRANGE

ACTS.

SETS FIRE TO HIS HOUSE AND

ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.

[from our own correspondent.]

Sydney, April 8. A .max named Sydney Fritz Roel, who is said to have been strange in his manner lately, suddenly became quite demented on Monday morning, and, collecting a heap of brushwood, set lire to his house* at Pott's Hill, near Rookwood, and when he saw it fully enveloped in flames, cut his throat with a rusty boot-knife. Fortunately the wound indicted was not fatal, and the condition of the man, who is in the. hospital, shows an improvement.

The poor fellow lost his wife five years ago, and was left with a young family of four sons to bring up. Roel, who is an ironmoulder, employed at Mort's Dock, did his best to give the children a good education, and lately the eldest son, who is now 16, found employment in the city. That the father possessed the quality of thrift is shown by the fact that lie built a house of his own, on about four acres of land—the house which, through his own act, is now a heap of ruins. ,

Early on Monday morning Roel, when he came out from his room, seized a" kerosene lamp, and smashed it on the floor. Plowever, the kerosene did not ignite, and he rushed outside, gathered quantities of brushwood in his arms, and hurrying back to the house, ascended an attic, and depositing the brushwood there lighted it with matches. Then lie descended, collected the clothes of his sons, and threw them outside. Having watched the flames seize upon the house, he cut his throat. The boys, Having made their escape, gave the alarm to the neighbours, one of whom, confronting the frenzied man, knocked the knife out of his hand with a stick. Roel sank exhausted to the ground, and after first aid had been rendered he was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital at Auburn.

The house was burned to the ground.