RAZOR TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21466, 13 April 1933, Page 10

RAZOR TRAGEDY

WOMAN AND MAN FOUND DYING IN YARD DISCOVERY BY FATHER RECENT DISAGREEMENT A BROKEN ENGAGEMENT [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] PALMERSTON NORTH, Wednesday A tragedy occurred in the city early this evening, the circumstances pointing to murder and suicide. On going to the back of the premises in which the San Toy tearooms aro situated in Rangitikei Street at about 7.45 o'clock, Mr. W. G. Motley, husband of the proprietress, was horrified to find his 26-year-old daughter Helen (Nella) Motley and a man she had previously been keeping company with, Arthur (Bert) Soley, aged 39, lying together in the yard both with severo injuries to the throat. The young woman died almost at once without speaking, while Soley died shortly after being admitted to the Palmerston North Hospital. Marriage Arranged The indications are that a disagreement took place between the couple and Soley inflicted the injuries to the young woman with a razor and then turned the instrument upon himself. It appears that Miss Motley had been keeping company with Soley for the past 12 months or so and had been engaged to him. The pair were to have been married next Monday, but following a disagreement the engagement was broken oft' last Sunday. •Soley had worked about the premises, conducted by Mrs. Motley, although he had not been in permanent employment for a considerable time. Knocking Summons Help When members of the family and a friend were talking this evening in the kitchen a'ttached to the tea rooms Miss Motley walked in and walked out ag»in into the passage, this being the last seen of her by those in the room until her father found her with her throat cut. After Miss Motley had entered the room and had been away for about five minutes a knocking noise, as though caused by someone trying to attract attention, was heard coming from outside the wall facing into the small yard at the back of the business block. Came From Australia A married sister of the dead girl then suggested that her father should go and see how "Nella" was getting on because "Bert" was talking with her at the back. It was then that Mr. Motley, little suspecting that anything was amiss, made the tragic discovery. Soley, as far as can bo ascertained this evening, came from Australia. It is also understood that he was a married man and leaves two children. About 1915 he was employed as head mechanic in a Palmerston North garage. Leaving in 1920, he returned to Australia, but came back to New Zealand recently.