ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2473, 7 March 1893, Page 3

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE.

The Lyttelton Times says : —“About six o’clock on Saturday evening a sensational tragedy occurred at Papanui, whereby two persons received injuries of a serious nature which necessitated their removal to the Christchurch hospital, while a third was badly injured. John Wild, a well-known resident of the Papanui district, and late licensee of the Sawyers’ Arms Hotel, attempted to murder his wife and daughter, Mrs John M’Conochie, whose husband is employed by the Canterbury Tramway Company, and then attempted to take his own life. Wild was in very good spirits on Saturday morning, and conversed freely with his wife and some of the neighbours. He came to town in the afternoon, sold some potatoes and oat sheaves, and returned home in the evening shortly before six o’clock. He said very little to Ilia wife and daughter when he entered the house, and they did not notice anything peculiar in his manner. In a few minutes, however, he went for his gun, and while his wife and daughter were in the kitchen he deliberately fired two shots at the latter. The first shot struck her on the right arm and side, and the second hit the wall just above her head. Wild then ran after his wife, and when she was running through the passage leading in the kitchen struck her a severe blow with the butt end of the gun on the head, just over the left temple, inflicting a, very bad wound. The force of the blow knocked Mrs Wild down, and Wild immediately rushed through the passage into the kitchen, and with a large carving knife attempted to take his own life by cutting his throat. By this time the screams of the unfortunate victims had attracted the attention of several of the neighbours, and Mr Charles Langdon, who lives a short distance away, rushed into the house by the back door. As soon as he entered the kitchen Wild dropped the carving knife and fell on to the sofa. Mr Langdon found a towel, tied it round Wild’s neck, and sent for Constable Hayes, who immediately telephoned for Dr. Brittan, The doctor was soon on the spot, and ordered Mrs M’Oonochie and Wild’s removal to the hospital. Upon enquiring at the hospital late on Sunday night, it was ascertained that Mrs M’Conochie’s injuries are not so as was at first supposed, and before the end of tjxe week she should bo able to get about again. Mrs Wild’s wound is a very ugly one, and it will be some time before she recovers front the effects of it. Wild’s wound in the throat is deep, but the wind-pipe and arteries were not touched. For some time past, Wild has been drinking, and, under the iiiffuenpo of liquor was very much QSfiited.' it is stated, however, that he was sober when he committed the rash act.

The Press says : —Wf}4 is well known ju tli? Papanui d|str}ct, he haying resided there for' upwards of twenty years. He w :, .s fqrmerly proprietor and licensee of the Sawyers’ Arms Hotel, and at one time owned a considerable amount of land in the neighborhood of the hotel. The hotel was subsequently leased to Mr John ' Toovey aim ,': fta, ' WiU, ' ]fl to the present occupant, Mr Cooper. Wild then removed to a comfortable five-roomed go ; b|/J house opposite, v/herp he lived and cultiyated a small piece of land. He is a man of some 54 or 05' years of age, and, although of somewhat excitable temperament, was respected by his neighbors. Mrs Wild la about the same age as her husband, Mrs MiConochie, the daughter, being about 21 or 22 years of ago. Wild was as has already been stated, at one time owner of a considerable amount of property in Canterbury. Through adverse circumstances a good deal of it had been lost, and it is supposed that monetary troubles had a great deal to do with the temporary frenzy, which might have resulted far more tragically than has been fortunately the case. It must have boon R sudden access of frenzy, as two or three