SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6085, 30 November 1886, Page 4

SHOCKING TRAGEDY IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Sydney, November 16. A shocking tragedy, which caused a profound sensation in this city, occured at the suburb of Newton early, this morning. The lives of two persons of good social position have been sacrificed. Mr Arthur Blythe, a young teacher of mathematics at Newington College, murdered his •wife by cutting her throat with a razor, and then took his own life by similar means. Blythe was an Englishman, only twenty-four years ofage, ■while his wife was a native of the colony, two years younger. The couple were married about six years ago, and lately have not been living on the best of terms. The husband was subject to fits of insanity, during which he used to behave violently to his wife. Once during this year he took his wife to a looking-glass, and with a razor in his hand, told her to take one last look at herself. He was prevented from carrying out his intention only by a crying infant. He cooly allowed his wife to go and attend to it, asking her to come back again, so that he might accomplish his diabolical task. These fits were only momentary, for the husband would in a few seconds be penitent, and ask forgiveness on his knees. On another occasion he had threatened his wife's life at Goulbourn. Knowing his mother, the poor woman had induced her to live next, door to them. The young parties lost a child about six weeks ago. Blythe had been in a despondent fit since yesterday, but the evening waspleasantlyspent at the house of Mrs Gould, the wife's mother. Shortly after midnight, Mr and Mrs Blythe retired to rest, to all appearances on the best of terms. There was nothing in the behaviourof Blythe to cause any remark. About a quarter past three o'clock in the morning, however, Mrs Gould was awakened by loud screams, and the boarders who came to the house heard. " They are killing me," or the words to that efiect, from Blythe's place. They ran to the back door ofßlythe's house, and found some one trying to open it from theinside. When thedoor was opened, Mrs Blythe fell forward and rusliedinlier mother's house, where she fell on the floor with a heavy thud,and died immediately. Lights being produced, it was found that the unfortunate young woman had her throat cut from ear to ear, and was lying in an immense pool of blood. The body ■was removed, and on the other house being entered another ghastly spectacle presented itself. In the back parlour, lying in his night dress at full length on the floor, was the body of Blythe with the head almost severed from the body, while by his side lay a razor besmeared with blood and partly broken. He seems to have followed his wife downstairs . and then added suicide to murder, inflicting a terrible wound. In the downstairs passage and along the yard could be seen the blood which •fell from the wife as she rushed to her mother. Blythe was a fine young man, and hiß wife was a prepossessing looking woman. She was married when only sixteen years of age, and the couple passed the first years of their marriage very happily. Two children — one five years and the other eighteen months old — are left.