The Telegram. — 1901-06-18 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

DOUBLE TRAGEDY NEAR  CHARD.  MURDER OF A FARMER.  SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER On Tuesday, quite a senvittion was caused in the neighbourhood of Chard, whin about noon a rumour was received that st the village uf Chard: etrek, about three miles from Chard, • farmer. named brace, had bean murdered. Inquiries proved that the report was only too well founded, Mr. Sidney Deane having teen -hot in the back white proceeding about his costornary duties on hi, farm, and receiving injuries from which he subseqiiehtiy succumbei.l. Mr. Si iney Deana was a farmer, residing at Revels Hill Farm, ,atriate &mut a mile from the village of Chiardstock. The approach to the farm is by way of a lane branching off from the road from A 11.4011 to Chardst..ck. The premise•li time distance hff the roadway, abutting on the lane. The f aruil.ouse, which more riseii. hies a coniturtable Country 001,144(.., 14 nit,llite is. a 111l.t pleasant spot, overlooking the villog of Otiardstock. Deane was in comfortable cireumptances, owning the land wh.ch he farmed. He was a single Irian, about 48 years of age, ant lived theie. He employed no regular hands on his farm, and noone lived within, mum considerable distance of him. _ . .  It appears that on Tuesday morning he warted about hie duties at the usual tone, cud was pro ceeding trona the f .rruyarl to the orchard when he wari idiot down. The worrier personably OCCllrrsni au r 11. 8 o'clock ill the morning. At that time a she wa I,e,rei by a thatcher, named Robert Hull (who wars 4iinporarily employed by Mr. Deane). who also iv,ae of the opinion that he heard groans pracsering foes the direction of the lions... He in ',Mired the , 11..11F1,, however, rii a dog. On artiral at the farms ' yard he wa I. r ified to a, Deane lying 1,11 his truck .11,1 111,,id• trie orchard wrirhiair ant in the gr. 111.-41. inve-tigarion showed that Mr. Deane was , -uff 'rig from a shocking wound in the bark. He was quite conseio.rn, anti expreseed his be'isf that " toe shot was fired by hie brother in-law, a man ! netted George. Being entirely alone and unable to remove Mr. , Desne to the house, Hull ran for trelp, and -rime , short time erapsed before his return. Or. assi-taorse ' drriving Dssne wan immediately removed to his house. While his inject-s were being ',Derided to in the farmyard avother shot was heard, and something struck the galvanised roof of tie cattle shed. The men assemh)e,f in the yard surmised that they were being fired on from a field on the other side of I the lane. P.C. Small, the conetal.!e stationed in I the village, had by this time arrived. and a sesmeh was marls On euteting, the cattle shed a sickening eight me', the searchers gez.., the body of Robert Geroge, labourer, of Charristoek, being found lying on the floe. The man was quits dead, and toe straw on which he was lying war saturated with blood. The Calls.' of ,le-art was a bullet wound in the Mrad. By the man'ir side WAS lying a douirles barrelled muzzle-loading gun, both barrel, of winch had the appearance of having been recently discharged. The trigger of the gun wan attached to a staple in the door of the elnai, and is presumed that (lenge placed the !nozzle of the weapon in his mouth and then polled, thus discharging it. The contents of the gun passed from the rieceared'e month riehe through his head. As will be gathered, the gun was of an old-fashioned pattern, but was in a very good state of preservatvin„ with the exception that the fore-sight was miming. (lenge, who is a brother-en-law of Mr. Deane, resided alone in the village, his wile and family having left him. He was over 50 years of age. Shortly after his body was discovered it wan removed to his residence, where it awaits an  inquest. Meanwhile Deane, who was suffering freer a very severe wound in the left side, just below the region of the hearts was given every attention. A inoweriger was immediately dispatched for Dr. Balfour, of Chard, mid he was speedily in attendance. doing all he could for the injured man. Deane did not lose consciousness, but as the day advanced his strength declined, and about 4 o'clock he passed quietly away as a result of the .ihot, derth probably ensuing from internal hemorrhage. The wound fled but little eater. sally, and there were no signs of blood when Deane was picked up. It is assume I that early in the morning Gauge secreted himself in the settle eliell, and as Deane opened the gate leading into the orchard shot him in die left side. That he should have remained in I the shed until an hour end a half afterwards it' most surprising, especially seeing that after Hull left to get assistance tnere was no-one in the vicinity of the farm. Deane was a man greatly respected in Chards stock and neighbourhood. He was of a quiet and genial temperament, and when the news was received of his untimely end the great...tit regret was experienced. So much cannot he raid for Genge. He was of violent temperament, apparrutly IDA no control over his feeling; and gave pereone of his aequaintance the impression that he was dememed. Towards Deane he always entertained the greatest animosity, and about mu years ago, at Guildford, violently attacked him vi ith • reapiier hook, for which he was Renterced to a year's imprisonment. This hitter feeling entertairei by Genge for Deane has been increased recently over some money matters connected with the death of Desne's father. Os Monday, Genge procured some marbles from a shop in the village. He chose the smallest he could find, and subsequently changed tNO of these for two larger ones with a child. A search W2L-, made in the shed for auy tease of a marble, but none could be found. Bus nom the appearance of She wound in Genge's head it is not thought that tbe gun was loaded with a bullet, while the saute deduction is made from the wound in Deane's side. A Chard correspondent says for many years past a serious feud has existed betwesn Drape and Genge. Deane's father was puseeesed of considerable property, including the hams occupied by , his 11011, and when upon the formy's death it was found that he had left the Milk of his possessions So Sidney Deane without rsmenibering hit daughter and eon-in-law, the gull WM widened, and shire were frequent quarrels between the two men.  At the inquest on Wednesday, the jury found that "Deane we bis desth by a bullet wimnd in the back, inflicted by Thomas Genge, and that Genge did feloniously, wilfully, and with malice aforethought murder Deane. " They alio found that Geuge feloniously killed himself.