MAN AND WIFE SHOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20639, 11 August 1930, Page 12

MAN AND WIFE SHOT.

MURDER AND SUICIDE. TRAGEDY AT HOWICK. LIVING APART FOR YEAR. GIRL WITNESSES SHOOTING. . A shocking tragedy occurred at llowick on Saturday morning, when Henry John Milieu, aged 39, farmer, of Pnkurang*, fatally shot his wife, Hilda Isabella Maria Milieu, aged 35, and then killed himself. A doublo-barrelled shotgun was used. Tho shooting took place outside a cottage in Moore Street, a quiet side-road near tho township, where Mrs. Milieu had lived for tho past week in company with a relative, Airs. J. Bellingham. The tragedy was witnessed by Rita Howio, a girl of 13 years, who was driving some cows past tho cottago at about nino o'clock in tho morning. She saw Millen s motor-car parked in tho road opposite the gate of the cottage, and Mr. and Mrs. Millen were talking quietly on the verandah, which is quite closo to tho street. Mrs. Millen asked tho girl if she wished to put the cows in the paddock, and then callod out to Mrs. Bellingham to open tho gate for them. Tho girl proceeded along the road, but bad gone only a short dis' tanco when she heard Mrs. Millen call to her. She turned and saw tho couple struggling on the edgo of the verandah. Millen then led his wife away from tho house toward bis car. Tlie Shooting Described. The girl saw Millen take his wifo to tho sido of tho car and then momentarily reloase his grasp of her and open one of the front doors. Thereupon Mrs. Millen ran to tho other sido of tho road, away from tho cottage. She appeared to bo making for a house opposite, which is occupied by Mrs. M. Smyth. Tho girl tlieu saw Millen take a shotgun from tho car. He advanced toward Mrs. Millen, who stood facing him on a patch of grass beside the road. One shot was fired in Mrs. Millen's direction, and then another, from a distance of a few feet, entered her left breast, killing her instantaneously. Millen then discharged two cartridges into his breast, his body falling beside that of his wife. "No sound was uttered by Mrs. Millen when she faced her husband," states the girl. "She was white and appeared to be stricken with terror. When tho second shot was fired, sho screamed and fell. I then ran up tho road to Mrs. Bellingham, who had heard the shots but did not witness tho affair. Mrs. Bellingham told mo to go for tho police and I ran to tho station and obtained Constable Devcreaux, who returned with me." Separation Proceedings.

Dr. Martin Ross, of Otahuhu, was called and he found that both Millen and his wife were dead. Investigations were carried out by Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike and Detective Allsop, who were despatched from the Auckland detective office. Inspector J. Mcllvenev, actingsuperintendent of police, and Sub-Inspec-tor T. Gibson, of the detective force, also visited the scene. Millen and his wife had been living apart for over a year. They were married 14 years ago, and there is one soil, Dougaf. A letter addressed to him was left by Millen. Both were well known in the Howick district, and they knew each other in early life. Milieu's father, Mr. Robert Millen, who residos in Bloomfield Road, Epsom, formerly owned a farm in the Pakuranga district. Mrs. Milieu's father is Mr A. Fitzwilliam, the family being old residents of Flat Bush, East Tamaki Until a year ago, Mr. and Mrs. Millen were farming at Pakuranga, the holding of Mr. Robert Millen having been leased by them. It is stated that differences aroso between them and when Millen sold his interests in the farm in 1029, Mrs. Millen arranged a lease for u further 12 months from Mr. Robert Millen. Milieu then undertook contracting work. Proceedings were instituted by Mrs. Millen for a separation, but the case was adjourned when it came before the Magistrate's Court in AucklaryJ last week. Service on Galllpoli. Mrs. Millen loft the farm at Pakuranga about a week ago and went to live with Mrs. Belliugham at Howick. It is stated that Millen went to see his wife tho evening before tho tragedy. His friends state that he had been considerably worried and at times his speech and actions were strange.

Milien saw service in Egypt and on Gallipoli during the Great War with tho Auckland Mounted Rifles. Ife was a keen horseman and ho raced several trotting horses during the time he was farming at Pakuranga. Ho gained considerable success with (he horse Royal Bob.

The news of the tragedy came, as a great shock to tho many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Milien, both ol whom were well known in tho district. Mrs. Milien is described as a woman of cheerful disposition. An inquest into tho deaths was opened on Saturday afternoon before Mr. F. 11. Levien, S.M., coroner. After evidenen of identification had been given by Mr. Norman Milien,-a brother of Henry John Milien, the inquest"was adjourned sino die. Tho funeral of Mr. and Mrs. Milien was held at tho Flat Bush cemetery yesterday afternoon, and was attended by many friends and relatives. SHOOK TO RELATIVE. COLLAPSE AT FOOTBALL. Heaiing at Eden Park on Saturday afternoon the news of the tragedy, Mrs. T. Mclntyro, a sister of Milien. collapsed and was taken to tho Auckland Hospital. Mrs. Mclntyro had not been informed of tho shooting when she went to the football with her husband. She collapsed when she opened a newspaper and read an account of tho affair. She was attended by Dr. J. A. Watson and was later removed to the hospital by the St. John Ambulance. After receiving treatment. she was ablo to proceed to her home.