MAN KILLS HIMSELF

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1931, Page 7

MAN KILLS HIMSELF

WOMAN’S AMAZING ESCAPE.

BUTTONS SHOT OFF COAT.

Several exciting incidents wqre associated with a shooting tragedy attNorthcote, Melbourne, on the night of Febru-

ary *2. Thomas Miles, aged about 50 years, shot himself dead after having attempted to shoot Miss Eva Mathers, aged A 5, who had an amazing escape. Two buttons were blown off her coat. Miss Mathers and Miles had been friendly for soma time and Miles was taking her to her home from the city about seven o’clock. They alighted from a tram and began to walk across a vacant allotment toward Miss Mathers’ home. In the middle of the allotment, Miles caught hold of Miss Mathers, pulled a sawn-off shot-gun from, one of his pockets, and pressed it to her body. He pulled the trigger twice, but the charge did not explode. Then Miles pulled the trigger again and the charge exploded, tearing off the buttons from the> woman’s coat,

Miss Mathers broke away and Miles fired another shot, which missed her. She took refuge in an undertaker’s shop, while six men, who heard the shooting, pursued Miles into a laneway. There Miles turned and pointed the gun at the men, who halted. Hastily placing a cartridge in the breech, he turned the gun and fired at his own heart. He died almost immediately. ---■