The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-06-16 00:00:00

MURDER AND SUICIDE.

Information reached Moate on Sunday morning
that Sergeant M'Crowan, of Walderstown Police.
station, had been murdered by Constable Simpson.
& body of police on'arriving at the barracks found the
place closed, but saw Simpson, who should have been
on guard, walking about. They forced an entrance,
but as they did so heard a shot. They found
M‘Gowan dead from a bayonet wound, and Simpson
also dead, having apparently stabbed the sergeant
and then shot himself. The details of the tragedy
(says a correspondent) are of a very shocking nature.
Walderstown is a small police-station in county
Westmeath. Constable Simpson had been left in
charge of the station in the absence of other police-
men who were discharging duties in another district
of the county. Sergeant M‘Gowan returned to the
station alone, and immediately on his entering the
day-room• Constable Simpson fired upon him no less
than four times, once with a gun and thrice with a
revolver. The savage attack did not end here, for
Simpson took a bayonet from the wall and stabbed
Yrnowan, who was bleeding profusely from his
wounds. He then seized another bayonet and pierced
him again. A constable who was sick upstairs was
threatened by Simpson if he gave the alarm, but the
sick,..man succeeded in leaving the barracks, and the
news was conveyed to a neighbouring police-station.
When the police arrived Simpson was found locked
in the day-room, and, simultaneously with their de-
mand for admittance, he shot himself. The murderer
is stated to be of intemperate habits, and Sergeant
M'Crowan had reported him.

A DAIRYMAN was spoken to by a custonier for •
having rendered an account for milk with the entries
twice charged. "Well," the dairyman replied,, "I
have asked several accountants lately, and they say
everything is now done by double entry."
"WHY should you object to marry an auctioneer,
my dear? He's wealthy and respectable7,-wha t else
do you want?" Cecile (secretly engaged to Gam-,
boge, the artist) : "I don't like his appearance, ma
'Ore I An auctioneer is always for bidding."

KAISER FREDERICK'S HEALTH.

The improvement in the health of the Emperor has
come to a standstill. This, it is hardly necessary to
say, is in his case equivalent to a relapse. The diffi-
culty in swallowing has diminished a little under the
medical treatment, but not to the extent desired.
Sir Morel' Mackenzie therefore adopted on Monday
further measures. The Emperor's appetite is not so
satisfactory as it was a few days ago. `Lie difficulty
in swallowing is caused by part of the fluids flowing
along the outside of the canula into the windpipe
instead of into the gullet. When this was checked
the fluids came out of the entrance to the canula. Sir
Morell Mackenzie is endeavouring to prevent this also.
His Majesty passed a fairly good night, and felt com-
paratively well throughout the day. Dr. Howell re-
turned on Monday morning, having left London im-
mediately after his father's funeral.
The Emperor was free from fever all Monday, but
in thq 6%l:Mug he was again feverish.