AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 168, 18 July 1910, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

ALLSGED CHILD MURDER. At the resumed inquest into the body of the child found at Xuron River, near C'apertee, with its throat cut, the evidence oi Dr. Hansard, was that the body was 'that of a newly-born male child, and was found with a gaping wound in the throat. The caild had ceitainly breathed, and had bled to death from the cut in the throat. Evidence was also given by Andrew Sommerville, Mary Ann Moore, and the father and mother of Alary Hardy, who was alleged to be the mother of the child. The police evidence was to the effect that Mary Hardy admitted having given birth to the child, and had cut its throat with a scissors and took it down and buried it. The Coroner found that Mary Louisa Hard}- feloniously and wilfully murdered the child. The Coroner said he had known the girl since a child, and he never believed she was a bad girl. He expressed his deep sympathy towards her. The Coroner committed her for trial at the SydneyQuarter Sessions on August 29. ■woman's mysterious death. At a late hour on Sunday night, July 12, a Chinese doctor named Yee Lee, living in Mair-«treet, Ballarat West, reported the sudden death" in his consulting room of a woman about 30 years of age. Yee Lee, whose wife is at present under sentence of death for murder in Melbourne of the girl M'Allum, made a statement to the police that the deceased woman had consulted him on several occasions for internal trouble. She called nt his place at 9 o'clock p.m., and at the .conclusion of his consultation he asked her to remain in the parlour while he dispensed the medicine he had prescribed. While he was so engaged he heard screams in the parlour, and entering he saw the woman lying on the hearth-rug gasping. She expired-immedin-tely. Blood was found on the carpet in the parlour. The body was subsequently identified as that of Florence Gelbert, whose parents reside in Pleasant-street, Ballarat "West. Deceased was 30 years of age. Dr. Champion, who conducted the postmortem examination, said that death resulted from the entering of air into the veins. There were two small wounds on the body. It has been decided to send the stomach and contents to the Government Analyst. AUDACIOUS ROBBERY.

An armed robber "drew a bead" on George Russo in his fruit shop in Lower George-street, Sydney, late on the night of July 11th, and while the Italian looked down, the barrel of a six-chambered revolver ransacked the cash register. He obtained several pounds in silver and notes. It appears that the robber entered the shop at about 11.15, and after inquiring as to the cost of accommodation, called for a soft drink. A diminutive youth called Tony served the refreshment, and experienced a lot of trouble in getting the money from the man, who appeared to be making a suspiciously minute examination of the building. In between sips from the glass the man entered into conversation with one of the assistants, Joe Pitt, and related his experiences on the New South Wales opal fields. Afterwards George Russo came in, and the Assistant went into a back room. The man in front of the counter immediately presented a revolver at Russo and in determined tones exclaimed, "Hands up!" Give mc all your money!" "All right," Russo replied, "I'll give you everything, but donta taka ma life." He dropped his hand to open the cash register, but the man with the revolver, seeing the movement, yelled out excitediy, "Up with your hands, or 111 drive a bullet through you!" The Italian at once acquiesced, and when the robber advanced towards the counter, Tan behind a door and scampered upstairs. From the verandah he yelled for the police, and soon the scattered pedestrians and a man-o'-warsman in the vicinity were searching for the robber. The case, which is regarded as one of the most interesting police problems reported of late, ought, judging 'by the evidence at the disposal of the police, "be brought to a successful issue. It is stated that several particularly clear impressions were found on the glass and on the side of one of the show cases. The whole of the contents of the front portion of the cash registar were taken by the robber, who, however, in his haste missed a small bagful of gold which had been deposited in a compartment at the back. It is thought probable that the robber is an inexperienced adventurer, who was driven to desperation by shortage of funds.

INGENIOUS SWINDLER SENTENCES. In the Criminal Court at Perth on the Sth inst., the ingenious swindler, Abe Benson, alias Walter, alias Smith, with records in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and Tasmania, was sentenced to 18 months' hard labour for fraud on the Countess Cietonker Wiser, an Austrian lady. Benson was a fellow passenger with the countess from Colombo, and at Perth introduced his wife (Nellie Benson, who had .been living at Perth) to the countess as his fiancee. The countess knew nothing of racing or betting, but the pair induced her to entrust first £25 and then £100 to Benson to put on a '"certainty" at the Kalgoorlie races on a Saturday. They told her she had won £35, hut could not get the money till settling day (Wednesday). On Sunday the countess, who had been warned not to say anything about the transaction, told another fellow-passen-ger, who sent her to the detective office. Early on the following Monday morning Benson and his wife were arrested, having taken passage for London in a White Star liner, which they were to catch at Albany, leaving by train at 6 that morning. The jury convicted Abe and Nellie Benson, but as the latter was considered to have acted under the influence of her husband, she was released on her own recognisances. Restitution of dtlllS of the £ 125 obtained from the countess was directed.

A CONSTABLE SHOT. An Adelaide telegram of July 10 says: A cowardly attack was made on Constable Bond at Kilkenny on Saturday night, when a would-be assassin fired at him as he was entering the gate leading into the local police station. Several pellets penetrated the policeman's leg and back, but fortunately the wounds, though they bled freely, are not dangerous. The

constable stated that at about 8.45 p.m. someone fired a gun at him from a plantation from a distance of about 30 yards. He saw a person among the trees, and promptly fired a shot at him with a revolver. Whether it took effect he did not know. He tried to run after the fugitive, but on account of his injuries found that .his leg refused its duty. A doctor stated that there were eight pellets embedded in the constable's leg, but he had not then extracted them. The patient's condition was not regarded as serious.