A Sydney Tragedy.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5015, 24 May 1889, Page 3

A Sydney Tragedy.

A BAD MOTHER-IN-LAW,

On the sth inst. a young man named Ralph Manahan killed his wife and son, and then shot himself, dying soon after. The couple lived with the wife’s mother, and had been on bad terms for some time. In a letter left by Manahan he cursed his mother-in-law, whom he blamed for his unhappiness, and stated that while he was absent in New Zealand his wife and mother-in-law made him by their conduct the talk of Townsville, where they were then living. At the inquest the mother-in law deposed that her son-in-law had contributed sometimes to her daughter’s support, say £l a month. He deserted her for four months, and went to New Zealand. On the other hand, Mr Macguire, managing director of the Oceanic Publishing Company, in whoso employ deceased was for six years, described him as a steady hard working fellow, and stated that he did not neglect his wife whou he wont to New Zealand to canvass for the publication, as he left with her an order to draw £3 weekly. This sum was paid each wok to Mrs Manahan, and her receipt was obtained. An additional advance of £l9 was also paid, and deducted from the commission coming to deceased on an order forwarded from New Zealand by the husband. Before leaving, Manahan obtained an advance of £3O £ls of which was handed over to his wife, and the balance went to provide passage money, &c., for deceased. It is alleged that he always spoke of his wife in the most affectionate terms, but referred to his mother-in-law as the curse of his married life.

A large number of our readers will grieve to learn that the Rev. Mother Sullivan, Superior of the Convent and Convent schools, died from apoplexy last night.

" A bob in and the winner shout ” has been improved upon in Cambridge, Phrenology is now all the go, and as Professor Lio Medo is staying in the town he takes the place of the dice. Ho examines the heads of those present, and the one with the worst cranium shouts for the others. The professor doubtless thinks it good fun as ho pockets • a fee from each ; but the one that has to shout is an unbeliever in phrenology from that time forth.

An Auckland bankrupt named T. L. White, cabled on to attend a meeting of his craditors did not turn up, but sent a note saying that as he had found it impossible to make out out a statement of his receipts and expenditure, the data at his disposal being only fragmentary, he could not attend. This being the second meeting at which White was absent, a resolution was pa*sed instructing the Official Assignee to proceed against him for contempt of Court. “ If,” says the New Zealand Times, " the official estimates of the late harvest must really bo accepted as approximately accurate, wo can only say that the remit is exceedingly disappointing. After all the brilliant reports about the exceptional abundance of the wheat yield it is a sad come down to be told authoritatively that the total wheat crop is loss than in 1888, and very much loss than in 1884 or 1883. Iho average yield of wheat per aero, according to the returns, is even more disappointing, for it is absolutely the smallest in the past seven years, while that of oats has only once before been (so small during all that period.” llf the estimates this year are not below the mark, then those of previous years must have baeh for too high.