CHARGE OF WIPE MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 88, 15 April 1899, Page 5

CHARGE OF WIPE MURDER.

ALEXANDER POX ACQUITTED.

PERTH, this day.

Alexander Fox was to-day acquitted on the charge of having murdered his wife, at Claremont oh Feb. 5. '

[A Perth telegram of 'Sunday, Feb. 6th, Bays:—-Last evening the police arrested: John Alexander Fox on uuapicion. of having murdered hia wife at Claremont on Saturday. The inquest was opened this morning, Fox being present Incustody, He Is a strongly built man, jsft lOin in height, and appears perfectly at ea3e. He viewed the body with the utmost composure, Withdttt taking evidence the toquest was adjourned sike die; Fox wa& Subsequently presented at the 'Police Court on the Game charge and remanded for eight days. The daughters of the deceased woman are fourteen and twelve years old respectively. Interviewed to-day they could throw no. light an the nffalr. - They stated thnt they went out with their fatheti leaving their mother at home. All three retiirned together and found the mptlier missing. When the police arrested Fox the}' took charge of an axe and of certain clothing found in the house,]

What appears to be a very horrible and bruitai murder was brought to light to-day near Clarembnt, a fash-I ionable suburb, midway between Perth and Fremantle. The police are observing extraordinary reticence over the affair, but, so far as the story cahbe gathered, it seems that on Saturday afternoon Alex. F6x, head gardener at Gallop's well known vineyard, near Claremont, came into Perth witli two young daughters, leaving his wife at home. Fox and his daughters returned in the evening, buit M rs Fox was missing. A search was immediately instituted, but proved unavail-, ing, and the Claremont police, who were then informed, searched for the greater part of the night, but without success. The first thing this morning, the police and a party v,-enz out with the black trackers, and at about nine o'clock the trackers found the body of the woman about 500 yards from the house, and near the river. Her head had apparently been split open With an axe. The tipper part of her face was completely opened, and there were other wounds'on her head and legs. ;