Norfolk Day Book

A Sad Affair
A Father Attempts Suicide and Shoots his Daughter.

The Lynchburg (Virginia) News of the 20th inst. has information through a gentleman of a melancholy affair which was enacted near Rapidan Station, Orange county, Va., on Friday last. The particulars are as follows:

Mr. William Walker, a farmer residing near Rapidan, determined, while in a temporary fit of insanity, on putting an end to his life, and with this purpose provided himself with a pistol, and went to an upper room in his dwelling. His daughter, a young lady just grown, observed his movements, and, suspecting his intention, followed him to the room, and entered it just as her father was cocking the pistol. Screaming out at the top of her voice, in order to alarm the other inmates of the house and secure their assistance, she threw herself upon her father, and, seizing the weapon, endeavored to wrench it from his grasp. In the struggle that ensued the weapon was accidentally fired, and the ball passing through the hand of Miss Walker entered her left breast, inflicting a mortal wound. The unfortunate young lady was not dead on Saturday morning, but her recovery was deemed to be impossible. The sight of his daughter lying weltering in her blood recalled the father to his senses, and he made no other attempt at self-destruction, but with the most agonizing cries threw himself upon her bleeding form and besought her to live. In this condition the father and his dying daughter were found by other members of the family, who, alarmed by the report of the pistol, hastened to ascertain its cause. Physicians were promptly summoned to the wounded girl's assistance, and everything possible was done to relieve her sufferings, but, as before said, it is believed her life cannot be saved.