The Ashburton Tragedy

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1481, 14 November 1905, Page 2

The Ashburton Tragedy

Full Particulars' By Telegraph.—Fret* AuoeistioiA ■ Ashsprtok, this' day. ' Forthbb details of the tragedy show thai for eome time past there had been a fond betweon the parties oyer;,the ; result of a eivil action in Court in Mareh last. Mrs Loegaiuedtlie case, and einoo then Espey had threatened to do Mrs loe harm. The parties had boon r on good terms until' a ye ir ago, when '. Mrs 'Lee's husband .died, and shortly after his demise ..Espey ■..beoame.. . porsistont in his .attentions,-and i proposed marriage. Ho met with a refusal, aiid this npparont■ly'rankled in the man's mind . 'i'ho previous,friendship turned to bitter-' hatred, which finally culminated in tha tragedy as related yesterday.' Mrs. I 00, aooompanied by n young girl living with her, was returning homo from church, and, noaring her home.; (which , was near Espey's . place)'; ho came from behind a hedge arid- oaiight Mrs Lee by the throat,-and said, " What hafe you jbe'en Saying'of me. lately?" " Nothing," replied the woman. Espey then shot her several times with a small revolver,'eni ered : his house; and committed suicide by shooting himself through the ■ hoart : ; ' At tho inquest the vordiets woro as follows That --Catherine; Nellie Lee was murdered by'being shot hv James Espey on November 12th, 1905," and ''That James Espey cocnmittod suicide by shooting himself with a Revolver." ; , , ■'' —— . ' ■j, ■