Terrible Tragedy.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 550, 30 December 1890, Page 3

Terrible Tragedy.

Wanganui, Saturday. A fearful tragedy occuried at Waverley, 33 miles from here, on Christmas Day, resulting in the death of husband and wife. Mr and Mrs Gallagher attended Mass and returned home at noon, and about one o’clock Mis Gallagher was found dead in her bedroom in Mr El is’ Hotel with a gun shot wound in her left breast. One of her children was clinging to her bedahbed in blood. Shortly after, in an adjoining chamber, Gallagher attempted suicide with a double-barrelled chokebore rifle, but failed. He then went down stairs and fired two shots. One glanced off his ribs and the other entered his body below the heart. It struck a watch in his pocket, the "O’ ks of which were driven into his entrails. He lingered conscious till 5 p.m., when he died. B fore his death his depositions were taken. He stated he murdered his wife because he loved her too deeply without h'S love being reciprocated. Four children are left, two hoys and two girls. The cause of the deed is presumed to have been jealousy. The husband and wife separated previ< usly, bat friends, previous to the tragedy, were hopeful that the couple would live amicably.

The following paragraph is from the Hawke’s Bay Herald :—Some of our readers will remember that two years ago rhi« Christ* mas there was a fracas at New Plymouth, in a house occupied by Father Cassidy, and in which W'ere staying a fc the tim- Father Costello and Father O’Donnell, A Mr a d Mrs Gallagher, frem Auckland, were present on a visit to Father Cassidy, and Gallagher, in revenge for his wife driving out with Father O’Donnell against his (Gallagher’s) wishes, struck the priest. There was & fight, in which Gallagher got very badly knocked about, and in which, as the evidence of the three priests clearly showed, he was the. aggressor. He was subsequently bound over in two sureties of £lOO, and himse f in £2OO to keep the peace for six months. This Christmas sadder nt-ws comes, for it is r o be fairly inferred from a telegram we publish elsewhere that the same Gallagher has shot his wife, and subsequently committed suicide.