Atrocious Tragedy Mother and Child Butchered.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10450, 21 September 1901, Page 1

Atrocious Tragedy Mother and Child Butchered.

A Brisbane message to the, Age of -August 31st states: —Another shocking tiagcd" was made known on Wednesday, when, acting on information r<v. ceived from Tarooin, .the police searched the local cemetery, and made theghaatly discovery of the battered bodies of. a girl named Ellen Jounquay and ker-child, an infant eight weeks old. The ■■fortamate: .aaothcr had. been , butchered in. a' particularly atrocious;; manner. .There were thirteen T wounds" .uponJierJMidy and head, and her.thrb*f was cut .throuVh: * The child's skull was smashed in. " An aboriginal.named Gilbert, who.was suspected, was immediately arrested. Shortly after his arrest, however, he defeated the ends, of justice by taking a dose of strychnine, from the .effects of which he collapsed and died. Ellen Jounquay .was 22 .years of. age, and was in the habit of visiting, her dead mother's grave in the cemetery. On. Wednesday, as she did not return from one of her usual visits, the cemetery was searched, and the remains of the mother and her.child were found. Gilbert was employed at Markland's station. He purchased a heavy nickelhanded knife from' a store at Taroom, which weapon was found near the place where the. murder was committed. -From the' appearance of the place, it was, evident that the unfortunate -wo- - , man had died hard, there being traces of a heavy struggle in the locality, and tracks showing that the body had been dragged about 50/ yards.

Gsmral Items. The Australian Natives' Association is protesting against, the appointment by the Sydney Council of a town clerk outside Australia before exhausting efforts to obtain a suitable man within the Commonwealth. . At Eineower (Vie.)' last week the death took? place of an" old lady ne.aed Sullivan,- who had .attained the age of ' 109 y«sr>. Almost to the last deceased remained very active, and could dis- % course on many events that are now matters of history. She had resided in The Sydney Coroner concluded an inquest into the circumstances of the death of Henry Francis Milk, from fracture of the skull. Before his death ' deceased complained that he had been assaulted and robbed by three men. A verdict of wilful murder was returned against unknown persons. The New South-Wales Bailway Commissioners intend to give a trial to the system ' of running an all-night tram service on some of the suburban lines. The electric service has been chosen, as being cheaper than steam trams. Cars will run hourly after midnight,' at a minimum fare of 3d. s