A MANIACAL MONSTER.

NZ Truth, Issue 12, 16 November 1907, Page 4

A MANIACAL MONSTER.

BLOODY TRAGEDY AT SPREYDON.

Hans Wilson Released From Sunnyside.

Succeeds m Killing His Wife.

A Verdict of Wilful Murder.

It was a piece of appalling foolishness for the wife of Hans Wilson to have secured his release from the Sunnyside lunatic asylum some months ago, seeing that she had had a practical experience of his murderous tendencies. Anyhow, his release resulted m an awful tragedy at Spreydon, just out of Christchurch, before breakfast on Wednesday morning, when Wilson killed bis wife and then shot himself. He had attempted a .similar thing before, but was thwarted. It was on the last night of tho Exhibition, and Wilson and his wife visited the show and nothing happened until they got home. When Mrs Wilson was undressing, the lunatic suddenly drew a revolver from underneath the bed and fired at her head. However, she was quick enough to duck the bullet, which lodged m the wall She made for the door, and Wilson fired another shot, this time at himself, but missed, ami then the wife turned on him and TRIED TO GET THE WEAPON out of his hand. The elder son, hearing the row, broke the door, and helped his mother to escape, and informed the police. As Wilson didn't seem right m his mind when arrested on a charge of attempted murder, he was medically examined, and committed to the asylum. He was kept under most strict observation there, hut as there wasn't any sort of a disposition to violence -about him, and he was apparently a harmless sort of individual, he was allowed to do as he practically liked, and this step seemed justified. The woman he had tried so foully to murder used to visit him regularly. She liked the fellow still, and after a time she requisitiipned that he be released, and she would take him home. She was warned that she might be taking her life m her own hands, but she didn't think that he would attempt her life again, so the authorities released the would-be murderer. Unfortunate woman ! What the lunatic didn't achieve before he has achieved now, for she is now m her grave. Wilson is a man of about 50 years of age, and didn't toll. He did the housework, cooking, etc., while his wife and eldest son went out and grafted for the wherewithal to keen thc home doing. That was all he did. The scoundrel , never sought work, . and didn't want any. There are five children m all — the eldest is seventeen years, the second fifteen. These weren't present when the horrible affair occurred. One had g6ne to work and his father gave him his breakfast before ■he went. The second lad had been out all night sleeping at a friends to keep him comnanv. and he .hist got home at breakfast time next morning after thc tragedy had happened. It was at half-past seven o'clock when the FOUL, PREMEDITATED MURDER took place. Harold Burley, who lives next door, hearing the shots, and investigating, saw Mrs Wilson lying at the back door on her left side. Observing at once that a foul crime had apparently been committed, he sent his brother to Addington for Constable McKeefry, who rode to the spot on his bike m no time. He found that the woman had been shot, and he sent for Dr. Marks, but medical aid was of no avail, for the unhappy creature, who was unconscious, died m about 20 minutes. The constable found that Wilson had locked himself m a room, so he bashed thc door m with an axe. He found Wilson lying under the window, but the revolver was on the table. The murderer was quite conscious, but didn't speak when spoken to. He was sent to the hospital at the same time that the victim was taken to the morgue. He had locked the door, and then shot himself m the left breast. The revolver was a five-chambered one, and constained two cartridges, while four empty cases were found lyine: on the floor, so that the weapon must have been refilled. There were bloody finger marks on thc breach, and a woman's long golden hair adhered to it. "An inquest was held at the morgue at half-past eight the same night, when it was elicited that, the deceased had been a recipient of three bullets. One had hit her m the abdomen, another m the right arm. near- the shoulder, and the other on the outside of the arm. Also, she HAD BROKEN HER ARM. presumably throupjh falling out of thc door. On the surface of the chest there was a slight scar, as if grazed by a bullet. Dr. Marks, who gave this evidence, was doubtful as to what really caused death until he made a post mortem, so the jury adjourned until Thursday morning to enable that to be done. Arthur Wilson, the 13-year-old son of deceased, was m bed when he heard his mother shouting his name. Oii rushing into the l_|_*droottn he saw his parents scuffling. His father having something m his right hand, he ran to the back dolor 'and unlocked it for his mother. She asked him to go and get somebody, and he ran to Mr Burley's gate. He heard two shots, but none when he was m the house. He was asleep when his mother called him. The two shots he /heard couldn't have been aimed at his mother because one hit the fence, being shot through the window. Jennie Wilson, the eleven-year-old sister of the last witness, gave similar evidence as ,to the scuffling. When her mother fell at the back door her father came out and said to her. "Is she dead ?" and witness replied, "Yes, she is lying down." Then he locked himself m and she heard two shots, and after that. he came out again and said that he wouldn't hurt her. She was then dressing herself alongside the body. Next he went back to the front room. Her father and mother weren't m thc habit of ■quia .v rel ling. I The last witness called was Jno. Wilson, who said his father was up