THE METHVEN TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2660, 8 March 1905, Page 89

THE METHVEN TRAGEDY.

DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE.

At 7.30 a.m. on Monday, as Mrs Burgess. of Methven, and another woman were driving into Methven from the Hills in a trap, Mrs Burgess-; husband rode up and fired at his wife with a revolver, hitting her in the forehead. He also fired at tho other woman, but missed. He then rode away. Mrs Burgess received medical attention, and was brought into AsJiburton Hospital. She is in a precarious condition. William Burge?s, her husband, a man about 30 j'ears of age, was afterwards found drowned in a water hol-e.

The case of shooting and suicide which occurred at Merhvcn on the 27th ult. created a sensation in the little township. It appears that William Burgess and his wife, the parties concerned in the affair, had lately been en bad terms, and ilrs Burgess left her husband about three weeks ago- and went away on a visit to some friends in the hills district near Highbank. Burgees attempted to induce his wife to return to him, and went out on Suuday for the j-urpope of trying to tee her. Ho did not return home that night. Early on ilonday morning Mrs Burgess, in company with another woman, drove into Methven. and when a short distance from the township was met by her husband, who was on horseback. Without addressing h-er. Burgess immediately drew a revolver and fired at his wife, the shot taking effect in the temple. 'Chinking, apparently, that iho result of the shot was fr.lal. Burgees then fired at rbe < ther woman. who was driving, and whose name is reported io he Mrs Tillett. This tim-e. however, the s=hot missed its mark, and Burgess then turned his horse towards a plantation in ihe vicinity, and. jumping the fence surrounding it, disappeared. The wounded woman's companion then drove into Methven and related what had occ«nrred>. Dr Home Bett was summoned fiom Ash burton, and ho ordered Mrs Bairgess to be removed to the Ashburton Hospital. She had re-co\ered consciousness on TuesdaA*. but according to latest advices she was still in a very critical condition, and her recovery is doubtful.

Immediately on receipt of information as to the affair Constable Shepherd, of M"thven, <efc out to search for Kurge-s Before noon a coat. vest, and cap. identified as belonging to the missing man, vere found hanging on a fence near an old gravel pit some distance from the township. The crave! pit is now full of water, and as the indications pointed to the conclusion that Burgee had committed suicide, dragging operations were immediately commenced, with the result that ihe body was -discovered late in the afternoon. Deceased had «svidently shot himself while standing at the edge of the water, and had A\cn fallen in. Hi« forehead was singed and bore the marks of a revolver shot.

An inquest was held at Methven, the verdict of the jury being; that .'eeea-ed, while temporarily insane, destroyed himself thiough fear of the consequences of his action in hi 1 -- wife.

Burgess who i= described as a farm labotirer. was about 30 years of age, and was well known in Methvea and the surrounding di«triot.

''What i- your occupation?" a lady applying for a prohibition order in the Christchurch Police Court the other day was aoked. "A widow, sir," came the reply.

Medical.