TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN NEW NEW SOUTH WALES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7965, 8 September 1887, Page 2

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN NEW NEW SOUTH WALES.

A FATHER MURDERS HIS WIFE

AND THREE CHILDREN.

RELIGIOUS MANIA THE CAUSE. • A terrible tragedy took place at Inverell on August 28th, at Bukkulla vineyard, 18 miles north of this place. The proprietor, Mr. Wadham Wynham, went to his men's hut and awakened them, telling them that he bad been offering his wife and ohildren as a sacrifice, that their souls might be saved. They went ov.er to the house, where they found that his wife's skull had been battered with a tomahawk, and the children had fallen victims, the oldest a boy 12 years of age, and the third wounded beyond recovery. Mr. Wyndham is well-known and mqoh respected in Inverell. He was devotedly attached to his wife, who was a most amiable lady between 30 and 40 years of age, about the same as himself. He was always considered very ecoentric by his acquaintances.* The sergeant of the police and the coroner have gone out to hold an inquest.

When Sergeant Travors and Constable Wensor arrived at the scene, they found the corpse of Mrs Wyndbam in the garden near the house, with the skull battered in. A few yards from her and from each other lay the bodies of Clifford, a boy of 12 years, and Adele, a girl of 4 years. They aIBO found Norman, 10 years,' in a dying oondition. Tht coroner' toot his depositions. He was quite sensible, but spoke with difficulty. He said he saw his father hitting bis mother, with a stone. His father cut him in tbe side with a knife. He aleo saw his father stabbing bis brother and sister with a carving fork. He died daring the inquest. Tho children appear to nave bean killed with a dull carving knife and fork. .• There are other children. Upon, the Arrival of 'the police Wyndham appeared i& little exoited, but soon grew calm. He told them everything about it — how he slept by himself in' the same room as his wife, and how he had awakened her,' oarried her into the garden and sacrificed her, how she bad struggled, and how he had taken the weapons. All tbe particulars were found oorrect.

Tbe police brought Mr. Wyndbam handcuffed to tbe local prison in his own buggy. He says that he is quite satisfied with everything that has 'taken pla'ae, but 1 a change now appears to have come over him, and he seems to v realise his position. He says that he expects to have to undergo a trial and to be executed, but asserts that he had to do tbe deed as a duty. He is a tall, powerful, well-educated man. He stated once at the inquest that bis wife wus 29 years of age, and afterwards that she was 33. He has written some tracts in defence of the Irvingite doctrine, but they are not remarkable for logic and coherence. He is lodged in the lockup, and will be' committed on tbe coroner's warrant; He appears generally rational, and no one -would imagine him the class of man to commit any deed so terrible.