A PALMERSTON NORTH TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2715, 28 March 1906, Page 18

A PALMERSTON NORTH TRAGEDY.

SUPPOSED MURDER AND ATTEMPTED

SUICIDE.

PALMERSTON NORTH, March 21.

A sensational murder and attempted suicide occurred here this afternoon. The police, shortly before 6 o'clock received word that a well-known horse trainer named Fred Murfit and his wife were lying on the floor of the dining room of their house in Fitzherbert street dead. The intelligence was brought by a young man named Crottie, employed as rider for Murfit, and who, ia riding round to the backyard of the house, had caught a glimpse of the bodies through) the window. The police, on entering the house, found that Murfit was dead, with a bullet wound in the back of his head, and the woman, who was lying beside him, wa* # alive, though unconscious. Investigation fchewed that the latter was 6hofc through the left breast. A revolver was lying near by. Medical aid was called, and the woman partially regained consciousness, and was sent to the hospital. It is expected! she will live.

The surmise is that Murfit was shot by the woman in a fit of jealousy, and that the latter then shot herself. Murfit was about 39 years of ace. He had several horses in training at Hokowhetu, and rods three winners at the last Wellington trotw ting meeting.

THE DYING DEPOSITIONS.

The woman, in her dying depositions a<i the hospital, said she shot Murfit while he was leaning under a bed to pull a box out. She did not intend to kill him, having 1 bought the revolver to shoot herself, hut y.-as overcome by an irresistibly passionate impulse. She was not Murfit's wife, but liad lived with him on and- off for some yeais, and was very much disturbed at a rumour that he was going to marry a nieca ac whose house Murfit was in the habit of having his meals. The woman's case is serious. She is also suffering from an incurable- disease. After shooting Murfit, the woman procured a. pillow for his head, and then lay down beside him, and, putting the weapon, to her left side, fired, with the intention, ,, apparently, of striking th© heart. The bullet brok* a rib, and deflected. The tragedy was discovered by a jockey in Murfit's employ. The woman was unconscious when dis* covered. On reviving, she exclaimed, " Oh, Fred, I didn't mean to, but you made mo do it." The incident has created a great sensation, the deceased man being widely known.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

PALMERSTON ~N., March 22. Further details available indicate that tho tragedy here was due to jealousy on the part of" Mrs Harris (with whom Murfitt; had been living for the past 15 years), towards Ada Davidson, his niece, who, since Murfitt came to Palmerston, had been living at Hokowhitu with him (Mrs Harris occupying a separate establishment/j where the occurrence took place. Jealousy; first became apparent, employees of Murfitt state, at Auckland, and increased during recent months. Mrs Harris was heard io warn him on numerous occasions as to his conduct, and she also repeatedly, asked to be allowed to go away and earn her own living. She wished Murfitt to sell one of his trotting-horses and start her in a boarding-house, but, with strange perversity, he refused to permit her to leave him, "though his neglect was apparent to th 3 employees who had been with Murfitt for some years. Mrs Harris progressed favourably during the night, and there 15 now a probability of her recovery. In her statement made to the doctor prior to the operation at the hospital last night, Mrs Harris admitted the deed, and ascribed the cause to a quarrel with Murfitt. who intended leaving her in order to live with bis niece. The inquest was opened this afternoon, and adjourned until April 6. the policestating that there was every probability of tho woman recovering". Murfitt. the victim of the tragedy, is a member of a well-known North Canterbury family. _^^^^_^_^__