Widnes Examiner. — 1891-04-11 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

SHOCKING TRAGEDY AT TYLDESLEY.  MURDER AND SIIICIDE.--SEQVEL TO A FEND 'NO DIVORCE SIJIT,  For the first time in the history of the township of Tyldesley it has been the scene of g murder. The particulars are extremely shocking,and the greatest consternation has been caused amongst the inhabitants. ft appears- that at five minutes to seven o'clock on Wednesday morning, as Mr. Thomas 'Syms, the general manager of the weaving department at Messrs. Frederick Burton and Son's Mill, was proceeding to the' works along Factory-st., be ' was met by one of the' bookkeepers namedi Philip 1 Hill, who presenting a, five-chambered reiolver at him, fired a shot 'which struck him in the. right breast. Syms uttered a cry„ and ran about a 4 dozen yards, when he fell, dying almost immediatelyThe murderer,seeing his victim run off ,fired a second shot, but the bullet struck the wall. The murderer then made his way into the mill, and meeting a woman named Mrs. Vaughan, an employee, cried out, 'Where's James; where's James (meaning another bookkeeper). I cannot live; I cannot stand it any longer." He ran through the warehouse, and let himself into his own office, and, immediately shot himself in the right side of his head, death. being instantaneous. When Symewas taken home and a doctor sent for he at first said death was due to a fit or apoplexy. It was discovered immediately afterwards however, that blood was flowing from the breast, and the doctor, making a further examination, found that the deceased had received a bullet wound, from which there was no doubt death had resulted. Both men were-well known in the neighbourhood, each having been employed at the mills for over thirty years. Hill, it is said,hae entertained the idea for some time past that his fellow-workmen have been conspiring against him, and endeavouring to oust him from his situation; but so far as carebe ascertained, there was no foundation for any such belieff. To use Hill's own words-,.he felt himself boycotted, and it is strongly suspected that when he called out "Where's- James ?" he had an intention' of also shooting James iThsworth, the other bookkeeper. The general opinion is that Hill's mind has become unhinged from a variety of causes, the chief being that he waea co-respondent in a divorce suit which was shortly to be, held, in which the petitioner claimed £O,OOO -damages: On the previous day (Thesday) Hill and his two sisters had been in consultation with a local firm of solicitors hr connection with the matter. The shocking affair has created a profound sensation in the district, and is the chief topic of conversation: The murdered man was sixty-three years of age. and Hill had turned fifty-two years of age. Mrs. Vaughan, of Chapel-street, Tyldesley, vehn is employed as a roller coverer at the mill, states that at a ; quarter to seven on Wednesday morning, she was in the ' warehouse cellar when she heard reports of a pistol_ She saw Philip Hill, who seemed strangely excited,. trembling violently, with ai pistol in his hand. Hill asked her " Where is James ?' meaning Unsworth "-I:cannot stand it any longer. I cannot live." She turned away, whereupon he said he would not harm her. She went again into the cellar;, and heard reports of shots, and afterwards the sound- of a body falling. She • did- not know why Hill wanted Unsworth, as she was not aware that there was any difference between the two- men. Much difficulty was experienced in getting the stbry from the woman, as she is confined to her house, the shock toher nerves having prostrated her. Hill, the murderer, had been- at the mill for over thirty years, and had worked,himself up from-the position of a scavenger:. The ' relations-of-the two men appeared to be of a friendly nature. Much sympathy isexpressed with the family of Syms, who was widely respected. He leaves a widow,, two daughters and a son.