TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 2426, 8 July 1876, Page 2

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.

On 7th April a shocking attempt at murder, followed by suicide, took place nt Lcaniiugton. The housu was occupied by Mr. T. A. VVhittingham, who had receutly returned from Australia, his wife, aud their servant, a girl named Keunedj'. Shortly before bix in the morning Mrs. Whittingham rushed in a state of terror into the servant's bedroom, pursued by her husbnud, who wns armed with a double-bar-rellud gun. She hastily Becured the door, but ho burst it open, and, entering the room, presented at her the loaded guv. The terrified woman iustuntly rushed down the stains into the garden at the back of the house. The mau followed, and whilst she was scaling the low wall into the adjoining premises he discharged the guv. The shot never spread but entered iv a mass at the bottom of the loins, causing a terrible wound. Sho fell ou the opposite side of the wall, whero her cries speedily brought assistance. Mr. Whittingham returned to the bedroom of tho servant, but on her falling on her knees nnd begging him not to shoot her he retired to his own room, where directly afterwards the report of a pistol was heard, and he was fouud dead on the floor. Ho had shot himself, the bullet hnd entered behind the left ear and hod passed through the brain, causing instant deuth. They had been married eight or nine years. The husband was independent, and wns about fifty- five years of age. At the inquest it was shown deceased had lived unhappily with his wife, who was much younger, nod to whom ho had been married eight years. Tw o years ago, wheu living at Stafford, they separated, and he allowed her tea pliilliugs weekly. He then threatened her life, struck her, nnd behaved lilic a raving madman. Ho repeatedly complained of severe pnius in his head, on which he received a severe blow when returning from Australia, where he made his foitune during the gold fever, nnd lost his first wife and only child. The wife returned after three months' nb- f sence, but they were nt other brief periods separated prior to their removal to Lcnniington eight months ngo. At Lcntniugton deceased acquired intemperate habit?, complaiucd of his hwul, nnd his wife aud her sisier considered him deranged nt times. His will, made two years ngo, left all his property to his sister, nnd his wife wns not meutioued. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicido whilst temporarily insane." Mrs. Wittingbara remains in an extremely perilous condition..

A New Way to Advertise a Business. — It is stated that then; wilt shortly be started in New Bond-street, London, a fashionable hnirdrcssiug saloon, where all the " artists" will be elegant young wumon. It is also wickedly reported that the following plnu for advertising tho place is likely to be adopted by the proprietor:— A "hirsute ruffian," while submitting his Samson. lik« looks to the shears of one of tho Delilnhs of the establishment, will suddenly kiss her " ngninst her will." Of course n tremendous hubbub will be raised, the '• scoundrel" will bo nrrnigued at tho Police Court, lined £5 (which tho proprietor of the snloOn will pay), nil the newspapers will have jocose or mock indignant paragraphs on the subject, and nil the young men about town will Hock to see tho fair '■ victim" of the nssnult, under the pretence of wanting to hnvc their hair cvt — tho iokull being n 'handsome profit to tho proprietor, nnd the fonnuttou pf. a good bueiucw connection by him.