TRAGEDY AT BALLARAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13866, 28 September 1908, Page 6

TRAGEDY AT BALLARAT.

MINER SHOOTS HIS WIFE A PROMINENT FOOTBALLER. ' A shocking tragedy occurred in a house in Grant-street, Ballarat ■ East, on Saturday night, the 19th inst., and a miner, Albert Cartledge, was arrested on a charge of the murder of his wife, Ellen McPhee Cartledge, agod 31 years, and the mother of four children. The tragedy is supposed to have been the outcome of a drinking bout on. the part of the prisoner, who is a well-known resident of the district. Cartledge, who is 32 years of age, has been of intemperate habits for a number of years, with the result that he has bad frequent quarrels with his wife. On the Saturday ho attended a football match at the City Oval between Ballarat and South Ballarat. For a long while he had been a leading player in the last-named club, but during recent seasons he had, not taken part in any of tho principal matches. When ho reached his cottage at 6.30 p.m. he is alleged to have been in a maddened condition through drink and very quarrelsome. After a violent altercation with his wife, it is alleged that ho produced a loaded Co'lt's revolver and rushed into tho yard and discharged ono of tho chambers in the air. Mrs. Cartledge and her children were greatly alarmed when they heard the report of the rovolver, and they rati through the house on to the front verandah. Tho loud screams of the wife and children attracted the attention of three neighbours. A second shot was heard, and then tho three men entered the dwelling. In tho bedroom they found Cartledge sitting on a chair, while his wife was lying in bed, bleeding from a wound in the centre of the forehead. The head and shoulders of the woman rested on the lap of Cartledge. Mrs. Cartledge was still alive, but unconscious, and on the floor lay the revolver. _ Tho neighbours seized Cartledge, who resisted wildly J but made no statement regarding the occurrence. Ho was deeply distressed, and was anxious ■to do something with a view of affording his wife relief! Mrs. Cartledge died about half an hour after her discovery in the bedroom. When the police entered the house, which consists of six apartments, they found Cartledge in the diningroom, struggling with a second woman, who had been endeavouring to prevent his return to the bedroom in which his dying wife was lying. - When searched at the. Ballarat East lockup, two watches, a gold albert, and 2s 6d in silver and copper coins were, found in Cartledge's possession. Attached to the watch chain was a gold medal, worth about £3, bearing tho following instription: — "Presented by R. Quick, Esq., won by Mr. A. Cartledge, for best all-round play, Ballarat, 1895." • Cartledge was at one time regarded by local footballers as one of. the best goalkickers in tho Ballarat district. The sixchambered revolver, on being examined by the police, was found to be loaded in two chambers, while two chambers contained cartridge shells, and two chambers were empty. ■