DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 818, 5 February 1903, Page 3

DOMESTIC TRAGEDY.

MAN MURDERS HIS WIFE. ENCOUNTER BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.

A sad domestic tragedy, involving the loss of two lives, took place at Brown Hill, West Australia, on Jan. 25, when James Wegner deliberately murdered his wife, and subsequently committed suicide. The couple had not lived happily for a considerable time, relations being so strained that they separated. Whore Wegner lived recently is not known. On January 23 Mrs Wegner took a summons out against her husband for maintenance, and this was served upon him at Kalgoorlie, and he was to have appeared at the Police Court. Apparently he purchased a revolver, and repaired to his wife’s home, with the deliberate intention of murdering her. When Mrs Wegner opened the door of her house at half-past five, she was met by her husband. He had nothing to say, but produced a revolver and tired two shots at her. The first entered her left arm just above the elbow. The unfortunate woman then apparently turned to run away, for the next shot hit her in the back, in the rogion of tho kidneys. _ Mrs Wegner dropped to the floor with a piercing scream, and simultaneously her son, a lad of 1(5, appeared on tho scene. He, too, was armed with a revolver, which he immediately presented at his father. Neither of the two shots which he fired, however, took effect. Young Wegner was in no way disconraged. and, rushing out, he attompted to again shoot. This time the weapon missed fire. Immediately the rnurderer turned round and lied, ihe son chased him for some considerable distance, after which Wegner stopped and deliberately fired two shots at his son. The shots missed their aim, and had tho effect of stopping the lad s progress. The father, taking advantage of this hesitation on the part o his son, made his way a distance o two miles and then placed the revolver to his ear and blew his brains out. The murdored woman w T as about -15 years of age, and her husband w r as about 40. They had three children a daughter and two sons. One of tho sons is supposed to be a resident of Victoria, but tho othor members of tho family live at Brown Hill. Wegner, it is stated, returned some time ago from Klondiko, and had been working in the district over since. Both bodies were conveyed to the Kalgoorlie morgue, where they now lie. °An inquest was opened, and was adjourned. Wegner was found dead at tho camp opposite the car barn. A written account, covering eight pages of foolscap, setting forth the troubles _of his married life, was found at the side of the body, as was also a six-cham-bored revolver, with one cartridge ischavged.