A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 6

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

MURDER AND SUICIDE. A ■ bleak spot on the marshes at Little Thurrock, near Grays, in Essex, has boon the scene of an extraordinary crime, about which,' despite exhaustive investigation, there is still,an clement of mystery. 'It is a tragedy of two men—well-known poachers—who had, been fast friends tor several years past. They went out .together on Sunday, June 23, on a.shooting expedition, and never returned. Tho next dav one of them, Henry Frost, a boiler-maker, of Blockhouse road, Little Thurrock, was discovered lying dead with a gun in his right hand. On the. following Wednesday through the of a dog, tho body of' his . companion, Harry Deeke, a bricklayer, of Rosebank terrace, Grays, was found some littlo distance away, hidden among a clump of sapplings. ' ' ; That, in brief, is the story of the tragic ' discovery, which caused such a profound sensation in the neighbourhood. Ali that, is clear is that for some reason, known only to himself, Frost decoyed his old friend to 1 a hill on tho marshes overlooking the gleaming Thames,..sonic two and a-half miles from Grays, and evidently, with littlo or no warning, shot him - through the head with his. gun. Then, making his way down tho hillside, to a somewhat exposed part, tho murderer turned the weapon on himself. Little surprise has -been occasioned by the fact . that Frost has taken' his own life, for since-his wife died in February last he appears frequently to have spoken of suicide. But; except on tho ground of temporary insanity, it is inexplicable that he should havo slain his friend, with whom apparently lie had no dispute. Indeed, when they set off together on the Sunday morning shortly before 10 o'clock, they seemed on the best of terms. A press representative, who has been investigating the case, has discovered some I remarkable facts. They point unmistakably I to the conclusion that Frost induced'his friend to go on the expedition , solely frith the .idea of ending both their lives. Only an hour or so before ho left his home the murderer had dictated to his nephew, who lived with him, a brief letter casting aspersions on Decks, and then, unseen, had himself added the farewell words, " Go9d-bye to you- all." That tragic letter was in Frost's pockot when he was sauntering along | with life unsuspecting companion, and waa found upon him after the committal of tho double crime. '

.When Frost's wifo died a couple named, Martin went lo reside in the house, and tho TOBjita lo.pks(J ftfisr hig apd

on tho Sunday morning ho tcok possession of tho gun which her husband had stored in tho man's bedroom, she . raised .no objection. Indeed, thinking that ho was bent on a littlo enjoyment,, she helped him to a number of cartridges— 18 in all,:—which she kept in ft box in ii cupboard. Prost loft tho house, called for Decks, and together they started for thp marshes. Very soon they wore clear of houses, and "wore entering from a lane—used frequently as a gipsy encampment—a rugged, winding road lead' ing: across tho undulating land, '. On their left, as they walked along a foreat _of masts and. red-banded funnels in .the .distance .showed whero tho ships wcro lying in Tilbury Docks. Before them th 0 marshes rolled a.wny for a mile or so, until tho iand sloped up to a'ridgo rounding, tho river. Hero was a hill made up of great doposils of London dustj overgrown' with gorso and rank weeds, where Dcoks was to die.

At this time, under a bush boside the road—it was called tho Manor Way,—a labouring. man' f was dozing,, Ho was aroused by voices, antiblocking up, ho saw two men - «anwg in his'direction. They were Frost '' and Dcoks. Presently ho board tho report of a guii, and, jumping up, stepped into I the road: Tbe men had evidently shot at a, bird.' He 6aw tliem watching for it as they passed by, and he heard ono o! them say, "No! Noi No!" A few moments Jater they disappeared from sight, and that was tho -last heard of the two poachers.