VIOLENT CRIME IN AUSTRALIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 18 November 1924, Page 7

VIOLENT CRIME IN AUSTRALIA.

The Petersham Tragedy.

ACCUSED MAKES CONFESSION. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright, Australian and. N.Z. Cable Association. . SYDNEY, November 17. Alfred William M’lnnes ■ was committed for trial f.or murdering Winifred Foley. Evidence was given that the couple were kegping company until deceased discovered that M'iUnes was a married man. She then sought police intervention to prevent him pestering her. On the morning of the tragedy, they quarrelled over the return of an engagement ring, which M’lnnes gave her. Subsequently the quarrel was renewed in the street, and the shooting followed. The police gave evidence that M’lnnes said he shot Foley because she tantalised him, and he was not going to let anyone else have her.

[A tragedy occurred at Petersham on September 21. A railway fireman named Mclnnes shot dead a barmaid, Winifred Foley,- 21 years of age, arid then shot himself. On the Saturday he visited the hotel where Miss I oley was employed. girl went to the police station and complained. On returning Mclnnes met her. An altercation was proceeding, when another admirer of the girl intervened. Mclnnes suddenly grasped the girl round the waist, shot her twice through the breast, and himself in the head. The police, who had visited the hotel in’search of Mclnnes, arrived on the scene just as. the man shot himself.]

PATHETIC DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

DEMENTED MOTHER’S CRIME

By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received 7.40 p.m., November 17.) BRISBANE, November 17. A pathetic tragedy is reported at Wilsorton, a suburb of Toowoomba. Mrs Trapp visited the home of some relatives, two miles distant, aiid informed them she had cut the throats of her two children : Ethel (four years) and Jane (three years)-. She added that after washing the bodies and bandaging their throats, «ho put the dead children back in bed and placed a wreath upon then), and then attempted suicide by - cutting her. throat. The woman is apparently suffering from dementia. v Mrs Trapp, after she cut her throat, went to her husband at the farm, two miles away, where she informed him she had cut the throats of James, aged three (not Jane) and Ethel aged four. The-husband returned home with her and found the children’s heads almost severed. There was no indication or a struggle. Two 'older children who were in the house at the time, were, not touched by the mother. The latter is now in hospital, but her injuries are not serious. ,