The Warwickshire Herald. — 1888-08-30 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

IDREADFUL CRIME AT SURBITON.  AN OFFICER SHOT BY HIS SON. A shocking ozcurrence took place on Sunday evening at 13, St. James's-road, Surbiton, the residence •of Major Hare, a retired army officer. It appears that his second son, Gordon Hare, had for sonic- years caused considerable anxiety to his parents, who on more than one occasion have furnished him with • funds to leave the country, but he invariably returned after a lapse of time, and caused considerable unplemantness at his father's residence. About 18 months or two years ago, upon returning from Australia, his conduct was so violent towards his father that the latter was reluctantly compelled to charge him before the Kingston county justices, and the son went to prison in default of finding suretks for good behaviour. On Sunday evening, in the , absence of his father, who was at church, the son ' unexpectedly called at 13, St. James's-read, and asked to SEC his fathsr. He was refused admission, and went away. A few minutes before e:ght he , returned to the house and waited on the steps Ivsling to the front door, apparemly for the proach of his father. As soon as the latter untered the front gate two revolver shots were heard. shortly MN wed by a third, the shots haring been preceded by I:::,cks at the front door. A police it.si—etor and c,mstable were quickly on the spot, and Major liars wns found lying just inside the gate whilst the son was lying across the steps. The son was dead, and the father died in a few minutes.  On Tuesday the inquest was held. Mr. Maynard Hare, a banker's clerk, identified the deceasi-d, Thenias Hare, as his father, who was 71 ye.:rs of age, and a major on the retired list. o erden bract Hare, vvitriess's 1 rother, was :14 years of age, and fellowed no occupation. In his earlier days he was sent out to America. Witness last saw his brother on Saturday when he was living in llayswater. He called upon witness and said it was a matter of life and death, but he made no direct threat against his father. On Friday he chewed witness some cartridges. He seemed to think that Ilia relations should give him money even if they impoverished themselves. He was always very violent, and had been locked up for threatening his father. He had been f,Tbidelen the house. He Caine there on Friday evening, however, and asked for witness, and his father merely led him quietly down the steps, telling him that he was a trespasser. Gordon was not given to drink. He was allowed a guinea a week, which he accepted with scorn. Witness was not at home when the tragedy occurred. He understood Gordon to say that he had latterly been taking a stimulating draught which he obtained from a chemist.—Martha Hobson, the housemaid,said she had had orders from her master and mistress not to admit Gordon. At a quarter-past 7on Sunday evening he knocked at the door, but she did not open it. He was very quiet and tried to open the side gate, which was fastened. The master had gone. to church. Gordon walked up and down for some time, and when the major entered the gate Gordon called out in an angry tone "Major Hare !" The major did not look up, and a moment later witness heard a report, folhwed by another. Witness went to the dour and saw the major lying dead on the stem while the body of the son lay at the foot of the steps.—Dr. M. Owen Coleman stated that he was almost opposite the major's house when he beard the report of firearms,and directly afterwards aikother report. He ran across the road just as the revolver was fired a third time, and then he saw the major lying on the steps gasping and dying. Gordon was quite dead. The major had been shot in the shoulder, the bullet having penetrated the aorta, while the son had shattered the roof of his mouth, death in his ease being instantaneous. Police - constable Alfred Mitchener deposed to seeing the two bodies lying on the steps. He removed the revolver from Gordon's right hand. The weapon was a six. chambered one, three chambers having been discharged.—The coroner said several letters had been handed to him, in which the deceased Gordon Hare had written asking his friends for pecrniary assistance, but no useful end would be served by reading them. In summing up the case he said the only gleam of satisfaction to be obtained from this awful tragedy was the fact that the mother and other relatives had been spared the pain of appearing against the murderer at a trial.—The jury found that Major Hare was wilfully murdered by Gordon Hare, who afterwards committed suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind.