A PAINFUL TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12565, 20 January 1903, Page 5

A PAINFUL TRAGEDY.

SUPPOSED MURDER AND SUICIDE. SENSATIONAL~WCDHRENCE AT NORTH-EAST VALLEY. One of the most painful tragedies Duncdin has ever known oocurred last evening at Selwyn, ■North-East Valley, tho bodies of a young'\mother and her child being discovered amidst circumstances that seem to point to a oase of murder and suicide, tho bodies bciiu; ihosb -of a Mrs Elizabeth Elloil Mayhead and her son, William, aged four years, and they being "found drowned in a bath. It appears that Mrs Mayhead, wht was 55 years of age, residod with her husband, Waltor Mayhead, in a rented house in Selwj'ii 'road; Selwyn, North-East Valley. Shortly before 6 o'clock yesterday evening tho Rev. Mr Htlrding, vicar of St. Martin's, called at tho house, leaving, after a chat with Mrs Mayhead, 'at 6.10, Mr Mayhead then not having roturncd from work. After tho clergyman's departure Mrs Mayhead told her little girl of nine years to mind the baby outside, as she desired to do some work. The girl went out, but returned to the house a few minutes later to speak to her mother. Tho latter, however, could not ho found- in- tho house, and tho child, wondering how her mother could havo left tho building without being noticed, looked in every ■ room. She received no answer to her calls of "Mother," and, finding tho bathroom door locked, she called for her mother thore several times. No response was received, and the child ran down to the residence of a. Mr Begg, near by, and asked if her mother was there. She received a reply in the negative, and then informed. Mr and Mrs Begg of how she had searched for her mother without avail, and found tho bathroom door locked. Mr and Mrs Begg then returned with tho child to tho house. They could find no trace of Mrs Mayhead, but Mrs Begg, it appears, looked through the bathroom window and discovered Mrs Mayhead lying in tho bath. She instantly communicated her discovery to Mr Begg, who promptly burst open the door, and then'the lxxly of Mrs Mayhead was found in Iho water, fully clothed, and lying on top of that of the little boy, both being quite dead. This was about 6.40, only some 30 minutes having elapsed since the girl was sent out to mind the baby. Dr Fulton was at onco sont for, and arrived quickly. on Mie scene, but pronounced "life j extinct. • From tho position of the. bodies and the surrounding circumstances it was naturally supposed that Mrs Mayhead had taken the boy into tho bathroom, locked tho door, and then lain down in the bath, which was full of water, holding th» child down beneath her. Tho bodies of both were fully dressed, the mother lying face inwards on top of the body of the toy; I'rom thfe j details that could be ascertained last night it was learned that Mr and Mrs Mayhead havo only resided at Selwyn for about eight or nino months. Mr 'Mayhead is a carpenter, and was formerly in business on his own account in the city, but latterly has been occupied at ono of tho saw and planing mills. There were three childrentile girl of nino years, the boy whose body was discovored' with that of his mother, and a baby girl of five* mouths. Since the birth of the baby the mother had suffered from delusions, being under treatment for this aberration by Dr Fulton. These hallucinations, it rooms, had born present at the timo of the birth, but became ' more pronounced within the past two or three weeks. Tho unfortunato woman also suffered greatly from insomnia. Probably this had the effect of unhinging tho mind, for Mrs Mayhead is spoken of by those who knew her as a woman of a superior mind and of a pleasant and loving disposition, liked and respected by all her acquaintances. She was always on the best of terms with Iter husband, and their married lifo had been u happy one. Earlier in the Afternoon yesterday Mrs Mayhead paid a visit to Mrs Begg, and then seemed well, and in a normal frame of mind. From Mrs Bcgg's houso she evidently roturncd to prepare hor husband's evening meal; as the table was found arranged, thero boing cups and saucers, plates, cto., placed for herself and husband, and mugs for.tha children. Mr Mayhead was somewhat late in coming from work, he usually arriving shortly after 6 o'clock. Had he returned at bis usual time he would have been in the house before tho timo his wife cntored the bathroom. -As it was, he returned to the pitiful 'spectacle of a dead wifo and child, and tho sad surroundings of a homo made desolate. An inquest into tho circumstances will bo held in duo course, but at present it can only be'surmised that, under tho influence of ono of tho hallucinations born of a brain' weakoned by illncEs and rendered still more susceptiblo. by that cruelest- of mental foes, insomnia, tho young wife committed the double act of child murder and suicide. Constable Lynch, the local police officer, j was informed of tho matter, and proceeded to tho house to investigate tho sad ease as far as he could. Both bodies were fully dressed when taken out of th© bath by Mr Begg. A Daily Times reporter waited upon Mr John Begg, who is u mat and leather manufacturer in Selwyn road, last night. It was to Mr Bcgg's house that tho little girl, who was eryimg bitterly, ran to ask if her mother was there, and on being informed that she was not she said she did not know whero elie was, adding that the bathroom door was lookod. A suspicion of tho truth flashed on Mr Begg's mind, and lie went with his wife to the house, which is about 100 yards further up tho road. They searched rdom after room but found no trace of the missing woman. They heard water running in the bathroom, ahd on Mrs Begg making her .way outside and looking in tho bathroom window she saw the motionless body of Mrs Mayhead in the water. She informed hor husband of the faot, and Mr Begg procured an axe and broko in the door. He at onco lifted the body of. Mrs Mayhead out of the bath, and in doint; so was astounded to see the head of tho .little boy appear :ti sight from underneath it. Tho body of the mother had been lving on that of the boy, and when Mr Begg raised the mothor by tho shoulders tho body of the boy came to the surface. It was a spectacle that would have unnerved many a person, but Mr Begg manfully faced his task, and. lifting the mothor'e body out of the bath, laid it on the floor, and then placed the body of the boy beside it, Dr Fulton was telephoned for, and a messenger was despatched for Sir Begg's son (Mr Thomas Begg), an ex-pupil of the Ambulance Society, who, arriving a few minutes later, applied the usual restorative measures to both mother and child, continuinp his exertions for half an hour or more wit'iout the slightest result. Dr Fulton arrived at the end of that, time, and tried tho same treatment, but it was very soon evident that there was no* the least hone of bringing life back to either mother or son, and the task was abandoned. Mr Mayhead came homp to find both his wife and his son dead.- ■ He had been detained at work, otherwise lie would havo been home about the time tho Rev, Mr Harding loft the house. Our reporter visit«d the house last night, about 10 o'clock. Everything was neat and tidy, and, evidenced comfort, content, and happiness. In the kitchen, where tho lamp was burning, the table was covered with a cloth and set out for tea—two enns and saucers and two enamel cups for the children, while buttered slices of bread bad linen placed on the children's plates, ahd flowers adorned the table. Everything was in readiness for the evening meal when the father came home. In the front bedroom the bodies of mother, and child were laid out on .the bed, both. looking beautifully peaceful in their last sleep. The ead affair will be roportfd to the coroner to-day. and am inquest will be held.