THE LILYFIELD TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15540, 23 August 1912, Page 5

THE LILYFIELD TRAGEDY

VERIIICT OF MURDER AND

SUICIDE

Press Association—tiy Telegraph—Copyright.

SYDNEY, August 22. jlleccived August 22, at 10.20 p.m.)

At the inquest on the victims of the Lilyfield tragedy a verdict was returned that .Johnson shot Morgan and then committed suic.idc.

Mrs Johii6on gave evidence that- she left her husband because he gambled and ill-treated Iter. He had frequently threatened to kill her.

•Johnson left two pitiful notes, making charges against his wife and a man, and threatening revenge, lie added : "1 want to get the lot of us together and then 1 won't Ito responsible for my deed." lie a.ikod that his furniture be soid to help to import hi« child.

A terrible tragedy oceurrid at Lilyfield, a .Sydney suburb, last wcvk George Morgan. aged 25, a fireman, called at his brothers house, and inquired f° r -V r " Sarnh Johiuon, ng<xl 22, who was staym? there uihloi - tJw jinme of Miss Russell. .Shu was having lunoli at the time, but went into tlie silting room, whero tho two conversed for a low minutes in an undertone. Then they went into tho yard to tho back gate, whero tlx) woman's husband, Harry Johnson, aged 25, a driver, of 65 Taylor .street, Annandale, was waiting lor them. An alt-creation araw, and Johnson produced a revolver, which lie lired at. Morgan. Tho bullet. lodged in Morgan's right, tomple, and killed iiim instantly, .lonnson ll.V] aiinVrl ;ii. his wife, and hit her in tho right hand. She ecreiimod. and. turning round, run up the. yard to tho Ikui'c. followed by her husband. He fired i-cvfnil shots after Jicr, but nono took etfect. Wlien shn reached tho sttuie steps leading to the kitchen sho stumbled, and her luidwid, rushing up, dealt her a blow on tln> head with (he butt of the revoUvr. Sho iniinOKod to toriLinblo to her feet, and. running hrough tho house. wenped to h neighbour's on the other side of the street. Johiwui did not follow farther than the footpath. There he paused, and, pointing dramatically at his wife, shouted, " That's my wife. Sho has ruined me." lie then placed the revolver to tho back of bis head and firrd, his lxxly falling on tho footpath. The victims were cciivcyed to tho Rahnaiu Cottage Hospital- Morgan whs (lend, having Inn shot in the right temple. Johnson had a bullet in his brain, and died at lialf-past, 8 o'clock. Mrs Johnson was seriously injured mill a bullet in her right hand, anil also had injuries on her head.

.Mrs Fred. Morgan said that .Mrs John.-on arrived there 011 .Monday mowing in company with (ieorge Morgan, who in trod urn I lior as .Mis Russell, Jiis prospective wife. "Slio was a very quiet girl." remarked Mrs Morgan, " and wont about her work without saying inu-cih, although she soemed jollv. George oanio to soo lur every niglit. and I understood that tho.v worn to be married shortly. This afternoon George caine hs wo wens having lunoli, and faid, here. Sarah. I want, to speak to von.' She immediately got up from tin* table mul went into the sitting room with him. After a few minutes they went out into tho back. I knew thorn was something wrong. She secjnod M> upset. A few minutes afterwards I hoard several shots and screaming. T ran to tho front, and she came after me. f-lio wus eovore<l in blood and wns shaking from hea«l to foot. She ran, smsming as slm went. 'Ho shot George. George is dead.' Tho next minuto a man camo out. Ho seemed daied. lie ftumbled on to tho footpath, and, pointing to his wife, yelled nut," ' 'Hint's my wifo. She has ruined' me.' Ho then put the revolver to his head and fired. His Ixxly fell by tho front gate."

Mrs Johnson was soon at the Halmain Hospital. "Yen, I am his wife; 1 am Mrs Harrv Jackson." she said. We were married fivo years My huslumd lists Ikx>ii away in tile ooimtrv some time, tmd came back three weeks ago. He evidently wanted to gel. the t.hrro of us together to do his terrible work."