FARM TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20716, 8 November 1930, Page 11

FARM TRAGEDY.

TWO MEN SHOT DEAD. WOMAN ESCAPES WITH CHILD. A farmer and his hired man were shot dead in tho homestead of a dairy farm, four miles from Meeniyan, Gippsland, Victoria, on tho night of October 21. Tho farmer's wife escaped with her 18-month-old daughter to the homo of a neighbour. The victims were: Thomas Ewen Ross, aged about 40, returned soldier and dairy farmer, and Charles Wells, aged about 39, farm hand. Wells had been working for Mr. Ross for some time. About seven o'clock in the evening, Mrs. Ross, who was in the bedroom, heard tho door of the house opened, and a shot fired. Her husband had been standing in front of the kitchen fire. He ran forward when she came out of the bedroom and collapsed. Wells, who was in the kitchen, ordered Mrs. Ross to go back to the bedroom. She ran back, and, picking up the infant from. the bed, went out of the house, running through the bush to a neighbour's home, where the alarm was given. , A constable, with a doctor, drove out to the farm. In the kitchen, they found tho body of Mr. Ross. A shot had entered his throat and death was apparently instantaneous. Wells was found dead in his room. His head had been shattered by a shot from a gun, which was lying on the floor, with the muzzle near his head. A string was tied to the trigger and attached to the door knob, so that the trigger would be released by tho slamming of the door.