ATTEMPTED POISONING OF A SQUATTER AT TWOFOLD BAY.

Charleston Argus, Volume 1, Issue 15, 4 May 1867, Page 3

ATTEMPTED POISONING OF A SQUATTER AT TWOFOLD BAY.

(From the Weekly Age.] An inquiry was held .it the Melbourne Gaol, on tlie 4tli instant, before Mr dlurt, P.M., with reference to an allied attempt to poison Mr Robert Devlin, a «jnatter, near Eden, Twofold Bay. A preliminary examination in the case had taken place at Kden, and the depositions then taken formed the principal part of the ftvidence on the present occasion. The particulars of the case were —that in February, 18GG, Mr Devlin, who lives alone on a station near Twofold Bay, left his house for a week, and on returning found that a quantity of strychnine had been placed in ;i bottle where he kept his tea, with which it was so mixed up that it could only be discerned with difficulty. The station where he lived was fifteen miles from any habitation, and the nearest was another station tenanted by a bush squatter, named William Alexander. No travellers ever passed by Mr Devlin's station, and the only persons in the habit of visiting it at all, were the members of the Alexander family. MiDevlin suspected the man, William Alexander, knowing that he was actuated by bad feeling towards him, and having h;'d evidence of his malice. He could, however, take no proceedings 115)011 these grounds ; but a twelvemonth afterwards

(in February last), William Alexander's brother James, gave him information which led him at onco to take steps in the matter, and have the former arrested. In the examination at Eden, James Alexander swore that his brother William had asked him to assist in shooting a valuable entire horse belonging to Mr Devlin, and afterwards asked him to assist in shooting Mr Devlin himself. His brother also said that he

had put strychnine in a bottle of tea at Mr Devlin's house. The witiess thought a good deal about this, but did not like to give information because it would "expose the family." Aftjr a twelvemonth had elapsed, however, he made up his mind to tell Mr. Devlin, feeling that he could not rest until he had done so. Robert Alexander, another brother of the accused, and Barbara Alexander, his sister, also gave evidence at Eden, the former stating that he had heard his brother William confess to having put the strychnine in the tea; and the Lillet that "she hwirseeu a packet of strychnine inv the possession of her brother William. He threatened to horsewhip her if she said onything about it. This concluded the statements of the witnesses at the former examination, and they attended at Melbourne gaol on Thursday, but added nothing material to them. The prisoner was in the room, and Mr. Manby appeared for his defence. Mr Manby cross-ex-amined the witness, James Alexander, at seme length, and. among other questions, asked him whether the whole was not a concocted scheme between himself and his brother Robert, to ruin the accused, in order that they might divide the property lately left by their father to his sons. The witness denied this, and also denied that he had been incited to make the prosecution through information given by his brother William, with reference to his having stolen certain cows, the property of Messrs. John and Creighton Stephenson. He never took any cows belonging to Messrs. Stephenson, and never heard that his brother William had accused him of doing so. The accused was then asked whether he had any statement to make, and having answered in the negative, Mr. Sturt committed him for trial at the next sessions.