SHOT IN BARRACKS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8156, 2 November 1904, Page 2

SHOT IN BARRACKS.

TItAGEDY OF A CORPORAL AND BIS SWEETHEART. , Shrapnel Barracks, Shooters' Hill, Woolwich, was the scene of a terrible love tragedy in. the early hours of August 30. Corporal Budgeon, of the Royal Field Artillery, was found lying d«ad in his bedroom in a pc/ol of blood, with part of his head and face blown away. Close by,,stretch«d out on the floor, with her head resting upon a pillow, was the dead man's sweetheart, quite unconscious. Blood was pouring from, a fearful wound on the left side of her. face, and clasped tightly in her band was a> set of false teeth winch she must have torn from her mouth "in her agony of suffering, s For hours after being shot by her lover the poor woman lay on the floor bleeding and unconscious, and at night she had not regained consciousness, and ultimately she died. The woman was Miss Maud, or "Dot," Nevill. She was about twenty-six years of age, was of prepossessing appearance, dark, with raven black hair. She was (said to be a native of Cambridge, but for more than two years she bad occupied two rooms on the ground floor of a house in Blomfield Terr,ace,> Harrow ßoad, for whiflh she paid thirty shillings a week. A SUPPOSED QUARREL. It is believed that a quarrel occurred between Budgeon and the girl Nevill, and that the m*n seiaed his gun and shot his sweetheart.. This occurred at 1.30 in the morning,, for the. soldiers in the adjoining room heard the report. They .afterwards heard Budgeon open his door, walk across the landing to a lavatory, and draw some water. He then returned to his room and locked the door. ■ It is believed "that he regretted the terrible dead he had committed and tried to restore his victim to consciousness. Then, realising the magnitude of the crime, he doubtless decided to end hia mental torture, and so placed his carbine in his mouth and fired. The bullet ploughed through, the roof of Mis mouth, blew part of his face away, and also the top of his head. This occurred at 1.45, or fifteen minutes after Budgeon had attempted to murder Miss Nevill^ one who heard the shots took any notice of them, and until seven o'clock the man and woman lay within a few yards of one another in pools of blood, one dead and the other unconacious. Another remarkable fact which needs explanation is that the woman, was in the barracks. Doubtless it will be the subject of close inqujry. STRANGE LETTER FOUND. The following letter, in Budgeon' s handwriting, was found in the girl's pocket : — "143 Battery R.F. A., " Shrapnel Barracks, "Woolwich, August 25. "Mr Dear Dot, — Yours to 'hand this morning, and, of course, glad to hear that you are all right again. I had begun to think all manner of things about you, and happened to 'be right in one of them, it seems. But I wish I felt in as good spirits as you when you wrote your letter, for after I had finished my dinner on Wednesday I came over- so queer and hardly knew what to do, but got dressed on purpose to go and see you, but had to go in and go to bed, and I ha.ye been in bed all this afternoon, having to be excused from parade. I have been like this once before, but don't know what it is, but what with sickness, and the whole of my limbs aching*, I feel properly done up, and have eaten nothing since Wednesday dinner-time. I think a little careful nursing would not do me any harm. I wish you was not so far away. Perhaps you can manage that for me. You would not mind, would you, if you thought you would do me any good? However, I must try to buck up, and if I am not on my duty you can. rely on "'feeing me on Sunday next, or, if possible, on Saturday, if it. would be convenient, but at the same time not to go too strong now that you are all right again, or you will soon be knocking yourself up. I cannot make out what you mean by the little boy Hoping this will find you in a better state than t am at present, with heaps of love and kisses.— Your loving Charlie." The couple were said to 'have been enmmd to be- married in a few days.