The Neville Tragedy.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1914, Page 5

The Neville Tragedy.

MOTHER'S PATHETIC NOTE

"I CANNOT LEAVE MY BABIES."

Blayney (N.S.W.), Feb. 24

Particulars of the tragedy at Neville show that Mrs Samuel Osborne first shot her son of four years with a pea rifle, the bullet lodging in the breastbone, from which it was extracted to-day without trouble. The mother then turned the rifle on her youngest child, a boy 2} years of age, and shot him through the heart, death being instantaneous.

Next Mrs Osborne fired at her own breast, but the bullet glanced round

her ribs and emerged at the bade, the wound being serious, but not fatal. Almost immediately she swallowed a whole bottle of poison.

Two other children remained with her during the tragedy, and after she had taken the poison the youngest of them, a boy of six years, took the rifle from his mother and gave her ;

drink of water. When neighbors reached the house, within a few minutes Mrs Osborne was unconscious, but breathing. She died without having gained consciousness. At the inquest held by the Blayney coroner, a verdict was returned that the mother had died from the effects of poison, self-administered whilst she was temporarirly insane, and that the baby had died from the effects of a, gunshot wound, inflicted, by his mother.

Mrs Osborne left a letter, which read as follows:

"Do not blame ray near husband for this. We parted the best of friends. Only ask him to forgive me. I cannot leave my babies behind. I am perfectly sane. God forgive me. Please ask Mr Lewis, the rector, to pray for my soul.'