FATHER'S CRIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15234, 22 February 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

FATHER'S CRIME.

e TRIPLE VILLAGE TRAGEDY. >- n A distressing case of double murder and if suicide occurred recently at North Pether--13 ton, near Bridgwater, a farm labourer a named Frank Atyeo killing his wife and a infant child and afterwards taking his ~ own life. Atyeo. who was a native of jf Middlezoy, a village near by, had been ,(. married about two years, and up to with'o in a couple of months ago was employed at Farringdon Farm, where he lived with his wife and child. '. Some weeks ago he was arrested for ■ drunknness and assaulting the police, and " was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. As a result he lost his situation, his home was sold up, and his wife and child wont to live with Mrs. Atyeo's parents whilst Atyeo himself went to his native place of Middlezoy to reside. It is said that ho had had frequent quarrels with his wife. Mother and Child's Death. The local baker's boy called with bread. and Mrs. Atyeo took the loaves without ,° showing any indication of distress or » emotion. A minute "later Atyeo appeared '» at the door of the cottage with his child. : *. A neighbour named Mrs. Strong saw him '* sit down on the doorstep, place the child across one leg and clasp it with the other. L - She then saw Atyeo take a rifle and fire it at the child. She and other neighbours 0 rushed towards Atyeo, who before they n could get to him turned the rifle upon t himself, the bullet entering the left t- temple. When the neighbours got to a him they found the child dead between n its father's legs, whilst the man himself i- was lying on his back across the thresy hold of the cottage in an unconscious cono dition. The police were called, and on y entering the cottage found Mrs. Atyeo e lying on her face in the kitchen. She 2 was found to be dead, and when . the . doctor arrived he said the cause of the woman's death was a broken neck- The '" neck of the child was also broken, but by j what mean? Atyeo had inflicted such terrible injuries is not known, as neither Mrs. 6 Atyeo nor the child was battered about the head. Atyeo lingered for some hours s and died during the' afternoon without regaining consciousness. ..-..'