AN AWFUL DEED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3347, 13 October 1911, Page 5

AN AWFUL DEED.

STABLEMAN SLAYS HIS WIFE AND THEN SUICIDES. TRAGEDY AT TOLOCA BAY. INQUEST TO BE OPENED TO-DAY. FULL DETAILS OF THE SHOCKING CRIME. There was enacted at Tologa Bay early yesterday afternoon a tragedy which was so awful as to occasion widespread shock among the whole community. For some weeks, it appears, a man named Walter Reid and his wife, Maud Reid, had been in the employ of Mr Elliott, licensee of the Tologa Bay Hotel. Reid himself occupied the position of a stableman, whilst Mrs Reid had acted in the capacity of a laundress. Both were found yesterday with their throats cut, and "neither lived subsequently more than a few minutes. It would seem quite clear from the facts that Mrs Reid received fatal injuries at the hands of her husband, who then at once suicided. Discovery of the Happening. When Mr Elliott, the licensee of the hotel, first became aware that something was wrong he was working in the yard. Hastily summoned _by his sister, Miss Elliott, he rushed into the hotel to find Mrs Reid l lying at the foot of the stairs with a huge gash in her throat. As soon as he had done all that was in his power for the unfort a - nate woman, his attention was drawn to the fact that Reid was also in a eying condition in his bedroom, as a result of grave throat injuries which lie had also inflietd upon himself with a razor. From all accounts it appears that the porter, a man named Alexander Tait, was at the time of the shocking tragedy working on the stairs. He first of all heard the Reid’s only child, aged two years, and Mrs Reid, crying out in her bedroom, which was Upstairs in the servants’ quarters. As Mrs Reid then rushed towards the stairway, Tait, without looking up. made for the back entrance, it being his impression that what had gone wrong was that the infant had fallen out of the window. 'Mrs Reid, it would now appear, was proceeding to the priwato sitting room of Mi ss Elliott on the ground floor, -when she collapsed at the foot of the stairs. Tait then rushed up to the Reid's bedroom. where he discovered that Reid himself had taken his own life. Extent of the Terrible Injuries. Both Reid and Mrs Reid were shockingly injured. In the case of Mrs Reid the wound, however, was only on one side of the throat. She was unconscious when it was first observed what had transpired. It was in fact impossible to do anything for her, and she did not live more than from five to ten minutes. Reid had, it seems, alincst decapitated himself. He, too, was unconscious when discovered, and was dead within the space of two or three minutes. It is unknown that Mrs Reid had only just before gone upstairs to her room. What is surmised is that Reid seized her when she entered the apartment. Having slashed her throat Reid, _it would appear from the position in which his body was found, had then cut his own throat in front of the looking glass, and then fallen backwards on to the floor. The razor, which had a big gash in it. was found on the dressing table. As soon as it was possible—and certainly within ten minutes —Dr. Weekes was upon the scene. He was, however, only able to pronounce that death bad already occurred in both cases. All the inmates of the hotel were naturally much upset over wliat had happened. Nobody, it seems, had ever dreamed that anything of the kind was likely to eventuate. When the Reid’s bedroom was subsequently examined it presented no signs of any struggle having taken place. As a matter of fact everything was quite in order. Mr Elliott at once closed up the hotel, and it will not be opened again until after the inquest, which has been fixed to take place this morning before Mr Holder, J.P.

Reid Sustained an Injury Recently. According to Mr Elliott both Reid and his wife performed their duties in an excellent manner. Mrs Reid had been in liis employ for eight or nine weeks. She was a daughter of Mr Parkes, a local blacksmith, whoi is an old resident of the district. When a vacancy for a stableman occurred' some five or six weeks ago, Mrs Reid persuaded Mr Elliott to give her husband the position. Reid was at the time in Gisborne. It appeared tliat Reid had previously worked in the district, but to Mr Elliott be was previously unknown. About a fortnight ago Reid had the misfortune to twist his leg whilst unloading potatoes off a dray. Since that date he had not followed l his occupation. For most of the time he had laid up in' his bedroom. On the day when he hurt his leg Reid was attended by Dr. Weekes, but subsequently he had not sought medical attendance. Just after the mishap Reid had an epileptic fit, hut as far as Mr Elliott was aware there had! not been any recurrence of the fits. As to what gave rise to the dreadful tragedy, nothing is definitely known. It was known to the whole of the staff that Reid and his wife had had a number of slight quarrels. Nothing of a violent nature had, however, occurred. Reid himself would be just under thirty years of age, whilst his wife was close on to forty years. They were not well to do, hut both, as will have been noted, wore in billets, and their work vras giving every satisfaction. Couple had been Quarrelling Recently. Yesterday Reid had been able to got up for liis meals. He was, too, out in the laundry talking to his wife not a great length of time before the tragedy took place. Whilst they were in the laundry .together they were overheard quarrelling. What had given rise to these quarrels was not clear. It was known, however, that Mrs Reid had upbraided her husband for not resuming his work. She apparently'. considered that he was well enough to do at least a little. The fact that he lay about all day seemed to annoy her.