A lamentable occurrence took place early yesterday afternoon on a country road near Newport Pagnell, in Buckinghamshire. As Mr. Edward Hanslope Watts, a prominent landowner in that county, was returning from Hanslope Church with his wife, a sister-in-law of General Sir John French, he was murdered by his gamekeeper, a man named William Farrow, who fired two shots at Mr. Watts from behind a hedge. The man afterwards committed suicide not far from the scene of the murder. One charge struck Mr. Watts in the back of the head, and the other in the centre of the back, tearing his clothes to shreds. Mrs. Watts, who was walking a few yards behind her husband, ran to his assistance, and as she did so she caught sight of the assailant, half-hidden in the trees, with his gun still at the shoulder. Exclaiming, "He's firing again," Mrs. Watts dropped by the side of her husband's body, and thus, it is said, probably escaped a similar fate.
The sound of the firing attracted the attention of a lodge-keeper living a short distance away. He found Mrs. Watts holding her dead husband. Mrs. Watts collapsed, and she remains in a state of prostration.
Farrow, after killing his master, ran from the hedge where he had taken up his stand to the back of the spinney, a distance of about 35 yards, and there shot himself. He was discovered with his double-barrelled gun by his side. Farrow seemed in his usual high spirits in the morning. After returning from his rounds at about eleven o'clock he told his wife that he wanted some cartridges to lend to a neighbouring farmer. It is believed that he had secreted his gun in the woods and that, having secured the cartridges, he went back for the gun, and knowing that Mr. Watts had gone to church he awaited his return and shot him.
Farrow had been employed by Mr. Watts for nearly two years, and it is stated that he was under notice to leave. About 12 months ago Farrow, when out shooting with his master on some neighbour's coverts, sustained a bad sunstroke and was carried home unconscious, remaining in that state for some hours. Farrow was about 45 years of age. He leaves a wife and three children, the eldest being 12.
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Mr. Edward Hanslope Watts was the head of the family founded by Mr. William Watts, Governor of Fort William, who, under Lord Clive, brought to a successful termination the treaty with Meer Jaffier in June 1757.
Mr. Watts was born on June 12, 1845, and was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A. 1868). He married in 1868 Sophia Edith, daughter of the late Richard William Selby-Lowndes, of Elmers, Bucks, and granddaughter of Mr. William Selby-Lowndes, of Whaddon Hall. Her sister is the wife of General Sir John D. P. French. Mr Watts leaves a daughter, Irene, who married in 1900 Captain Mark Saurin Poore, second son of Major Robert Poore, of Old Lodge, Salisbury, and brother of lieutenant-Colonel Poore and of the Duchess of Hamilton. Mr. Watts, who owned a good deal of property in North Bucks, was much respected, not only by his own tenantry, but throughout the county. Only a few months ago he succeeded the late Duke of Grafton as chairman of the Stony Stratford bench of magistrates. In politics he was active on the Unionist side, and he gave valuable support to local charities.
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